C7)EHYDRATING  FOODS 
J/FRUITS,  VEGETABLES, 
FISH  AND  ME  ATS 


A.LOUISE,    ANDREA 


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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


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in  2011  with  funding  from 

Boston  Library  Consortium  IVIember  Libraries 


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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

FRUITS,    VEGETABLES,    FISH 
AND   MEATS 

THE  NEW,    EASY,   ECONOMICAL  AND   SUPERIOR 

METHOD    OF   PRESERVING   ALL    KINDS 

OF   FOOD    MATERIALS 

WITH  A  COMPLETE  LINE  OF  GOOD  RECIPES 
FOR  EVERYDAY  USE 


By   a.    LOUISE    ANDREA 

LECTTTRKR   UPON  FOODS   AND    COOKEKT   AT   PANAMA-PACIFIC    INTERNATIONAL 

EXPOSITION,   SAN   FRANCISCO,  CALIFORNIA.       OFFICIAL  LECTURER    UPON 

FOODS,   COOKERY  AND  CANNING  FOR  NEW   YORK  INTERNATIONAL 

EXPOSITION,  NEW  YORK  CITY.     AWARDED  P.  P.  I.  E.  DIPLOMA 

AND     GOLD    MEDAL    AS    LECTURER     UPON     FOODS     AND 

INSTRUCTOR    IN    COOKERY.      AUTHOR    OP    "HOME 

CANNING   AND  PRESERVING" 


THE   CORNHILL   COMPANY 
BOSTON,  U.  S.  A. 


BOST®K  COLLESB  UBBAHX, 

CHESTNUT  EimMAi%._. 


Copyright,  1920,  by 
THE  CORNHILL  COMPANY 

All  rights  reserved,  including  that  of  translation 

into  foreign  languages,  including 

the  Scandinavian 


A  FOREWORD 


THE  NEW  FOOD  ECONOMY 

We  have  passed  through  a  long  and  trying  experi- 
mental stage  of  saving  foods  by  dehydration.  At  last, 
means  and  methods  have  not  only  been  perfected,  but 
are  at  the  service  of  every  one. 

Dehydration  may  be  accomplished  easily  and  suc- 
cessfully, both  in  the  kitchen  and  in  commercial  plants, 
—  by  the  bushel  or  by  the  ton,  as  the  case  may  be. 

For  several  years  patient  and  unceasing  work  has 
been  done  along  this  line  in  order  to  attain  the  desired 
results,  and  personally  I  acknowledge  with  grateful 
appreciation  the  kindly  co-operation  and  suggestions 
from  Messrs.  George  Hillard  Benjamin,  O.  H.  Benson, 
Woodford  Brooks,  Joseph  S.  Caldwell,  H.  C.  Gore, 
S.  C.  Prescott,  Lou  D.  Sweet,  the  late  Waldron 
Williams,  F.  G.  Wiechmann  and  other  sincere  and 
able  investigators. 

Moreover,  in  writing  upon  the  development  of  de- 
hydration in  the  United  States,  it  is  only  just  to  pay  a 
sincere  tribute  to  the  altruistic  and  laudable  efforts 
of  Mrs.  Oliver  Harriman  in  behalf  of  this  beneficent 
work. 

A.  LOUISE  ANDREA, 
New  York. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

List  of  Illustrations ix 

CHAPTEK 

I.  Regarding  Dehydration 1 

II.  Uses  for  Dehydrated  Products  .        .        .19 

III.  For  Pets  and  Domesticated  Animals    ...       26 

IV.  Dehydrating  in  Large  Quantities          ...       29 
V.  Packing  and  Preservation 41 

VI.    Dehydrating   at  Home,   followed   by   General 

Hints  and  Data 45 

VII.    Directions  for  Home  Dehydrating  (Vegetables)       66 

VIII.    Vegetable  Flours  and  Meals 86 

IX.     Home  Dehydrating  (Fruits) 88 

X.     Cooking  Directions 95 

XL    Soups 99 

XII.    Vegetable  and  Pudding  Sauces  and  Salad  Dress- 
ings         105 

XIII.  One-Dish  Dinners 114 

XIV.  Recipes  for  Using  Dehydrated  Vegetables  .        .     118 
XV.    Recipes  for  Using  Dehydrated  Fruits  .        .        .172 

Addenda  —  Practical  Suggestions 196 

Index 201 


LIST   OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Mrs.  A.  Louise  Andrea Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

Diploma  awarded  with  Gold  Medal  to  A.  Louise  Andrea 
at  Panama-Pacific  International  Exposition,   San 

Francisco 4 

Mrs.  Andrea's  Testing  Kitchen,  New  York  City     .        .  5 
A  Conveyor  Dryer  in  which  Loading  and  Drying  are 
done  automatically,  the  Idea  being  to  save  Labor 

Costs 32 

The  Harrison  Dryer 33 

Mrs.  Oliver  Harriman  dehydrating  Vegetables  from  her 

Country  Estate 40 

A  Type  of  Tray  Dryer 41 

A  Really  Efficient  Home  Dehydrator        ....  49 

Spinach,  before  and  after  Drying 50 

String  Beans,  before  and  after  Drying       ....  50 

A  Dryer  with  Canvas  Walls.    A  Cheap  and  very  Effi- 
cient Dryer;  Curtains  can  be  lifted  as  desired  60 
A  Conveyor  Dryer        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .61 

Canned  Pears,  before  and  after  Drying     .        ...  66 

White  Squash 67 

Onions,  before  and  after  Drying 67 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


CHAPTER  I 

REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 

The  dehydration  of  foods  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant considerations  in  the  world.  It  is  the  means  of 
preserving  foods  quickly,  cheaply  and  perfectly,  and  it 
will  save  thousands  of  tons  of  garden,  orchard  and  farm 
produce  which  have  gone  to  waste  hitherto. 

By  dehydration,  all  kinds  of  foods  —  fish,  meats, 
fruits  and  vegetables,  and  even  milk  and  eggs  —  may 
be  reduced  to  a  fraction  of  their  original  weight  and 
bulk.  Moreover,  when  properly  dehydrated,  the  foods 
maintain  not  only  their  nutritive  properties,  but  their 
flavorings  and  colorings  as  well,  being  far  superior  to 
canned  products  in  this  regard. 

Those  of  us  who  have  worked  practically  at  dehydra- 
tion and  with  dehydrated  products  realize  that  this 
art  or  science  is  bound  to  effect  a  revolution  in  our 
means  and  methods  of  food  preservation,  and  interest 
in  dehydration  and  appreciation  of  its  possibilities  are 
spreading  rapidly  throughout  the  world. 

During  my  lectures  upon  foods  and  cookery  during 
the  past  two  years  most  of  the  questions  coming  from 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

the  audiences  were  about  dehydration,  or  "drying" 
as  the  majority  consider  it,  while  I  have  people  calling 
at  my  testing  kitchen  almost  daily  regarding  systems 
and  methods,  among  them  being  visitors  from  Cuba, 
South  American  countries,  Italy,  France,  Great  Britain 
and  Canada,  in  addition  to  those  from  all  over  the 
United  States. 

There  is  a  very  essential  difference  between  drying 
and  dehydration,  and  this  fact  must  be  recognized. 
As  we  know,  all  food  materials  are  composed  of  myriads 
of  tiny  cells,  these  cells  holding  flavorings,  colorings 
and  nutrients,  together  with  a  large  percentage  of 
fluid  —  practically  water.  The  problem  has  been  how 
to  extract  the  water  from  the  cells  without  causing 
chemical  changes  and  loss  of  essential  principles. 

Broadly  speaking,  dehydration  is  a  method  of  ex- 
tracting the  water  quickly  without  rupturing  the  mem- 
branes or  cell  walls.  Thus  only  the  water  is  taken  away, 
and  the  volatiles,  the  flavoring  essences,  the  colorings 
and  the  nutritive  properties  are  left  in  the  cells.  It  is 
just  the  principle  of  osmosis  (a  sweating,  as  it  may  be 
termed),  and  when  the  dehydrated  or  dehumidified 
products  are  soaked  in  water  for  a  time  their  cells 
absorb  moisture,  and  furnish,  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, fresh  food  materials  which  may  be  cooked  and 
dealt  with  just  as  could  be  the  original  raw  foods. 

Drying,  on  the  other  hand,  is  a  slow  process,  —  so 
slow  that  the  cell  walls  crack  and  open,  allowing  the 
volatiles  and  aromatics  to  escape  and  the  coloring  prin- 
ciples to  change;    hence  the  flavor  and  appearance  of 

2 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 

dried  products  are  not  and  cannot  be  equal  to  those  of 
dehydrated  products. 

As  tangible  evidence  of  this  we  will  consider  grass 
and  hay.  Hay  is  dried  grass,  and  even  though  you 
soak  hay  in  water  you  cannot  "restore"  it,  whereas 
dehydrated  grass  "comes  back"  fresh,  green  and  succu- 
lent. 

Let  us  take  dried  apples  as  another  example.  Dried 
apple  pie  is  always  dried  apple  pie,  as  every  one  can 
tell  upon  tasting  it,  whereas  pie  made  from  dehydrated 
apples  yields  a  dish  that  is  really  fresh  apple  pie,  and 
it  cannot  be  distinguished  from  pie  made  with  the 
fresh-cut  fruit. 

To  emphasize  still  further  the  conspicuous  merits 
of  dehydrated  fruits  and  vegetables,  I  have  often 
served  dehydrated  products  and  strictly  fresh  ones  at 
the  same  meal,  and  no  one  could  tell  which  was  which. 
Recently  a  food  commissioner  from  a  neighboring  coun- 
try wrote  to  ask  me  what  I  thought  of  dehydration,  and 
what  plant  or  system  of  dehydration  could  I  recom- 
mend. I  replied  that  the  subject  was  too  important  to 
deal  with  satisfactorily  by  correspondence,  but  that 
if  he  would  call  at  my  testing  kitchen  in  New  York  he 
could  see  my  exhibit  of  dehydrated  products,  —  fish, 
oysters,  meats  and  almost  every  fruit  and  vegetable 
grown  in  the  United  States,  and  that  we  could  then 
discuss  the  technical  details  of  dehydration  to  good 
advantage. 

This  man  came  and  brought  another  food  official 
with  him,  whereupon  I  prepared  a  luncheon  at  which 

3 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

were  served  fresh-picked  carrots,  spinach,  turnips  and 
cabbage,  the.  latter  chopped  finely  and  served  raw  with 
a  dressing,  as  cabbage  salad.  At  the  meal  I  served  the 
same  things  dehydrated,  the  carrots  and  spinach  having 
been  dehydrated  a  couple  of  years  previously.  My 
guests  confessed  that  they  could  not  tell  which  were  the 
fresh  vegetables  and  which  were  the  dehydrated  ones. 
Finally,  one  of  them  said,  "Oh,  Mrs.  Andrea  can 
make  anything  taste  good,'*  but  while  I  appreciated 
the  compliment,  I  protested  very  promptly,  saying 
that  he  was  not  being  fair  to  dehydrated  products, 
because  all  can  cook  and  serve  dehydrated  products 
that  will  be  just  as  delicious  as  fresh-picked  stuff, 
provided  that  they  will  follow  simple  rules  and  direc- 
tions. And,  as  it  happened,  in  this  particular  instance 
my  maid  had  prepared  everything  under  my  directions, 
so  the  whole  thing  was  really  a  sincere  tribute  to 
dehydration. 

As  drying  is  a  more  convenient  term  to  use,  we  will 
consider  it  for  our  purpose  herein  as  dehydration,  desic- 
cation or  dehumidifying;  consequently,  when  the  word 
"drying"  is  used  it  is  to  be  understood  in  its  restricted 
sense. 

I  have  tested  samples  of  dehydrated  fruits  and 
vegetables  from  Denmark,  Germany,  Russia  and  other 
European  countries,  but  find  that  over  there  they 
precook  everything  before  dehydrating  it.  This  means 
a  great  loss  in  flavor  and  appearance,  and  when  the 
precooking  has  involved  a  boiling  process  a  large  per- 
centage of  the  valuable  nutrients  and  solubles  escape 

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2 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 

into  the  water,  with  consequent  and  material  loss  of 
desirable  properties. 

We  have  improved  vastly  over  the  European  meth- 
ods, for  we  dehydrate  most  of  our  produce  raw,  with 
few  exceptions,  such  as  potato,  beets  and  corn,  the 
latter  being  steamed  only  long  enough  to  set  the  milk. 

Just  a  word  of  caution  will  be  a  propos  here.  There 
is  dehydration  and  what  many  people  mistake  for 
dehydration,  the  latter  being  improperly  and  imper- 
fectly done.  The  produce  must  be  dried  "below  the 
enzyme  stage"  and  throughout;  uniformly  from  centre 
to  surface.  That  is  to  say,  there  must  not  be  enough 
moisture  left  to  permit  of  fermentation  or  mold,  but 
at  the  same  time  there  must  be  a  sufficient  percentage 
of  moisture  left  in  the  products  so  that  they  will 
"restore"  as  they  should. 

Already,  many  people  have  met  with  disastrous  losses 
through  trying  to  put  dehydrated  products  on  the 
market  in  packages,  without  realizing  the  importance 
of  the  foregoing.  The  products  molded  and  spoiled, 
and  in  many  cases  developed  grub  worms  and  insects, 
all  of  which  meant  loss  and  disappointment  to  the 
packers,  and  distrust  of  dehydrated  products  on  the 
part  of  the  public. 

This  need  not  be  a  source  of  discouragement,  however, 
for  proper  dehydration  and  treatment  of  the  products 
overcome  these  troubles,  and  we  must  remember  that 
when  canned  foods  were  first  put  on  the  market,  con- 
stant spoilage  and  loss  occurred  until  the  packers 
learned  the  means  and  methods  now  employed  by  them. 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Of  course,  reasonable  care  must  be  exercised  in  regard 
to  keeping  foods  that  have  been  dehydrated,  for  nothing 
in  Nature  will  stand  abuse  or  mistreatment.  As  an 
instance  of  this  I  was  once  called  into  consultation  with 
some  people  who  were  putting  out  dehydrated  milk 
(milk  powders)  on  a  large  scale.  They  were  having 
constant  trouble  with  their  customers,  with  bakers 
especially,  who  claimed  that  while  they  realized  what 
milk  powders  could  do  when  used  in  their  bread,  cake 
and  other  mixtures,  the  powders  became  rancid  and 
unusable,  so  that  they  would  not  experiment  with  them 
any  farther.  Upon  visiting  these  dissatisfied  bakers 
I  found  that  after  having  purchased  the  powdered 
milk  in  barrel  lots  they  were  keeping  these  barrels 
open,  and  close  to  radiators,  ovens  and  other  sources 
of  heat,  so  no  wonder  rancidity  and  spoilage  ensued. 

When  this  little  matter  of  cause  and  effect  was 
pointed  out,  and  their  future  supplies  were  kept  in 
dry,  cool  and  suitable  places,  no  further  complaints 
were  received,  and  the  business  has  grown  to  enormous 
proportions. 

In  concluding  this  chapter  I  would  say  that  while 
those  who  have  worked  with  dehydration,  and  have 
used  properly  dehydrated  products,  become  enthusiastic 
converts  to  this  form  of  food  preservation,  as  the  sub- 
ject is  so  new  and  as  yet  comparatively  little  known, 
I  will  now  quote  statements  regarding  dehydration 
from  various  authorities  in  support  of  my  own  views 
and  claims. 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 


General  Realization  coming 

As  a  people  we  have  not  yet  realized  that  for  many  decades 
we  have  been  paying  millions  of  dollars  annually  for  water 
that  we  did  not  want,  —  water  that  we  might  just  as  easily 
have  had  well-nigh  for  nothing,  by  working  the  pump  or 
turning  on  the  faucet. 

Take,  for  instance,  a  case  of  canned  tomatoes  costing  about 
$4  and  containing  two  dozen  tins,  each  weighing  2  pounds. 
The  canner's  outlay  for  the  tomatoes  themselves  did  not  ex- 
ceed 15  cents.  In  other  words,  the  ultimate  consumer  is 
spending  $3.85  for  15  cents  worth  of  tomatoes,  and  probably 
full  90  per  cent  of  each  2-pound  can  is  tin  and  water  — 
mostly  water. 

The  economic  wastage  becomes  still  more  conspicuous 
when  you  realize  that  a  tax  in  the  way  of  freight  charges  is 
being  levied  for  the  transportation  of  every  pound  of  that 
water,  and  of  the  cans  and  boxes  that  make  it  possible  to 
ship  the  tomatoes  in  that  form.  The  canned  tomato  is  no 
whit  more  palatable  or  nourishing  than  its  dried  rival.  The 
24-can  case  tips  the  scales  at  60  pounds,  while  the  same 
quantity  of  the  vegetable  when  dried  weighs  only  2|  pounds, 
and  can  be  packed  in  pasteboard  containers. 

Probably  the  sacrifices  due  to  the  water  content  of  the 
canned  product  can  be  made  even  plainer.  It  is  practicable 
to  ship  dried  in  1  car  what  it  would  take  30  cars  to  carry  of 
the  canned  goods.  In  a  carload  of  canned  tomatoes  there  are 
10,000  pounds  of  tin  and  14,000  pounds  of  lumber,  a  total  of 
24,000  pounds,  and  for  30  cars  freight  would  have  to  be  paid 
on  360  tons  of  materials  that  could  in  no  wise  help  the  hungry 
consumer.  An  expert  has  further  elaborated  upon  the  wastage 
and  lost  motion  involved.  He  says:  " There  is  the  movement 
of  the  tin-making  material  from  the  mines  to  the  tin-plate 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

factory,  and  the  movement  of  the  tin  plate  from  the  tin- 
plate  factory  to  the  tin-can  plant;  and  the  movement  of  the 
logs  to  the  sawmill  and  of  the  lumber  thence  to  the  box 
shook  works,  and  the  shooks  from  there  to  the  cannery.  The 
aggregate  of  this  service  gives  us  105  carloads  as  against  1 
carload  of  dried  vegetables."  The  cardboard  containers 
are  made  from  waste  material,  and  the  cartons,  folded  flat, 
capable  of  holding  a  carload  of  desiccated  vegetables,  can  be 
carried  in  a  very  small  space. 

Last  year  we  raised  400,106,000  bushels  of  potatoes,  and 
from  government  sources  we  learn  that  only  about  32  per 
cent  of  our  total  potato  crop  ever  moves  out  of  the  territory 
in  which  the  tubers  are  grown.  A  staggering  percentage  of 
the  potatoes  are  scrapped  or  fed  to  cattle  simply  because  they 
are  not  first  class,  measured  by  market  standards,  or  it  is 
impossible  to  ship  them  away  to  other  districts  for  human 
consumption. 

The  potato  is  78  per  cent  water  in  its  edible  portion.  In 
Germany  they  dried  in  the  course  of  twelve  months,  according 
to  the  latest  available  reports,  800,000,000  bushels,  sub- 
stantially twice  as  many  potatoes  as  we  raise  in  the  whole 
United  States  annually.  Every  pound  of  those  desiccated 
potatoes  was  100  per  cent  foodstuff,  and  could  be  kept  many 
months  without  deterioration.  This  was  apart  from  the 
potatoes  which  were  utilized  in  the  ordinary  fresh  condition. 

Again,  for  fresh  vegetables  shipped  long  distances  we  pay 
extravagantly.  This  is  to  cover  spoiling  in  transit  or  pres- 
ervation while  on  the  road,  besides  taking  care  of  the  trans- 
portation charges.  A  western  grower  urged  Congress  about 
a  year  ago  to  take  steps  to  promote  dehydration  in  this 
country.  According  to  him:  "Just  before  I  left  California 
I  saw  a  shipment  of  50  pounds  of  green  sprouts  about  to  be 
despatched  to  some  point  east  where  the  express  rate  is 

8 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 

12  cents  a  pound.  In  order  to  ship  that  50  pounds  of  green 
sprouts  they  had  to  include  a  100-pound  cake  of  ice,  and 
to  pay  on  that  ice  at  the  same  rate,  making  a  total  express 
outlay  of  $18.  The  whole  50  pounds  could  have  been  dried 
and  mailed  by  parcel  post,  the  package  weighing  3  pounds 
and  calling  for  35  cents  in  stamps."  —  The  Sun,  New  York. 

The  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  informs  us 
that  fully  50  per  cent  of  all  the  vegetables  and  fruits  grown  in 
America  never  reach  the  consumer.    They  rot  on  the  ground. 

This  tremendous  loss  is  due  to  difficulties  of  transportation 
combined  with  the  fact  that  only  the  fanciest  quality  of 
fruits  and  vegetables  will  pass  final  market  inspection  for 
profitable  shipping  and  trading. 

The  American  dehydrating  processes  now  encouraged 
would  conserve  every  particle  of  these  waste  products,  con- 
tributing tremendously  thereby  to  the  wealth  of  the  farm, 
and  adding  thousands  of  tons  of  perfect  foods  to  the  nation's 
dietary. 

The  value  of  vegetables  and  fruits  because  of  their  flavor, 
fiber  and  indispensable  alkaline  salts  is  recognized  by  scien- 
tists all  over  the  world.  Their  use  is  essential  to  the  physical 
welfare  of  soldiers,  sailors  and  civilians. 

In  the  dehydrated  products  the  food  elements,  the  al- 
bumens, starches,  sugars,  fats,  oil  and  salts  suffer  no  impair- 
ment of  their  food  value.  The  food  cells  and  cell  membranes 
are  not  injured,  but  retain  their  normal  function. 

The  dehydrated  product  after  immersion  in  water  resumes 
its  original  freshness  and  appearance,  retains  its  original 
coloring  principles,  its  essential  oils  and  other  volatile  con- 
stituents. 

The  drying  process  so  imprisons  the  delicate  bouquet  and 
the  fine  flavor  of  the  raspberry  that  the  manufacturers  of 

9 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

pure  fruit  extracts  actually  prefer  the  dehydrated  berry  to 
the  fresh  berry.  The  reason  for  this  is  very  simple.  The 
extract  manufacturer  has  to  wait  from  two  to  five  days  after 
the  berry  is  picked  before  he  can  put  his  hands  upon  it.  On 
the  other  hand,  when  picked  fresh  and  put  into  the  dehydrat- 
ing machine  right  on  the  farm  or  in  a  near-by  plant  the  full 
flavor  and  bouquet  of  the  berry  is  sealed  up  at  once  and 
remains  sealed  up  until  it  is  again  released  by  its  bath  in 
cold  water  before  cooking. 

What  is  true  with  regard  to  the  raspberry  is  also  true  with 
regard  to  apples,  apricots,  figs,  peaches,  pears,  plums,  cherries, 
quinces,  strawberries,  blackberries,  huckleberries,  currants, 
grapes,  rhubarb,  tomatoes,  eggplant,  squash,  pumpkin,  corn, 
peas,  mushrooms,  string  beans,  horseradish,  herbs,  etc.  — 
The  Globe,  New  York. 

Dehydration  is  the  science  of  removing  water  from  vege- 
tables and  fruits.  There  are  two  methods,  —  the  German, 
which  cooks  the  vegetable  with  live  steam  before  drying,  to 
break  down  the  starch  cells,  and  the  American,  which  dries 
by  passing  hot  air  over  the  product.  There  is  no  loss  of  taste, 
color  or  food  value  with  the  American  process.  Virtually 
all  fruits  and  vegetables  can  be  dehydrated  and  they  will 
keep  indefinitely.  —  General  Facts  about  Dehydration, 

PUBLISHED    BY    THE    FoOD    FOR    FrANCE    FuND,    NeW    YoRK 

^  City. 

In  order  that  the  layman  may  realize  something  of  what 
dehydration  involves,  it  might  be  well  to  show  how  large  a 
part  water  plays  in  some  staple  fruits  and  vegetables.  Let 
us  tabulate  these  for  easier  reference. 


10 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 


Water 

Content 

(Per 

Cent) 

Water 

Content 

(Per 

Cent) 

Asparagus, 

94.0 

Lettuce,      .        .         .         . 

94.7 

Apple, 

85.0 

Onion, 

87.9 

Banana,     . 

74.0 

Potato, 

78.6 

Beet, 

87.0 

Spinach, 

92.3 

Cucumber, 

96.0 

Strawberry 

86.0 

Cabbage,    . 

91.6 

Tomato, 

94.3 

Carrot, 

86.5 

Turnip, 

65.0 

Grape, 

77.0 

The  housewife  pays  for  all  of  this  water  at  exactly  the 
same  rate  per  pound  as  she  does  for  the  food  content.  Fur- 
thermore, the  nutritive  value  of  dried  fruits  and  vegetables 
increases  directly  as  the  percentage  of  water  diminishes. 
Plainly  we  are  dietary  spendthrifts  when  we  insist  upon 
fresh  produce,  and  it  is  evident  that  we  can  effect  a  very 
handsome  saving  if  we  will  content  ourselves  in  the  cold 
seasons  with  dehydrated  products. 

By  the  latest  American  process  the  products  to  be  dried 
are  commonly  treated  within  a  very  few  hours  after  they 
have  been  gathered;  in  fact,  they  reach  the  so-called  dry- 
ventors  far  fresher  than  most  of  us  know  such  commodities. 
We  have  to  wait  at  times  days  before  they  come  to  the  table, 
and  nearly  every  hour  after  picking  there  is  measurable 
deterioration  and  loss  of  flavor. 

The  ultimate  products  when  soaked  in  water,  as  they 
should  be  for  a  short  time  before  cooking,  regain  their  original 
form,  and  taste  as  crisp  and  fresh  and  full-flavored  as  though 


11 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

newly  gathered.  Of  course,  the  dried  foodstuffs  occupy  but 
a  small  part  of  the  space  taken  up  by  the  original  fresh 
produce. 

For  example,  a  barrel  of  dried  mixed  vegetables  that  will 
make  first-class  soup  weighs  but  100  pounds  and  will  provide 
a  steaming  plate  for  7,000  persons.  Before  drying,  these 
vegetables  fill  something  like  30  barrels.  This  saving  in 
weight  and  bulk  is  a  matter  of  especial  importance  now  be- 
cause of  car  shortage  and  railway  congestion.  —  The 
Herald,  New  York. 

And  the  weight  of  expert  opinion  is  emphatically  that  we 
are  about  to  decide  in  favor  of  a  revolution;  that  we  are 
about  to  institute  a  change  in  our  mechanism  of  food  supply 
more  fundamental  in  its  nature,  and  more  far-reaching  in  its 
•  results,  than  anything  since  the  invention  of  the  tin  can 
itself.  We  are  going  to  discard  the  whole  elaborate  system 
of  preserving  our  food  in  condition  to  eat;  instead  of  wetting 
it  down  and  cooking  it  before  preservation,  we  are  going  to 
dry  it  out  thoroughly,  and,  in  all  but  a  few  cases,  preserve  it 
raw.  Dehydration  is  the  word.  —  American  Cookery,  Bos- 
ton, Mass. 

And  last,  but  not  least,  there  are  various  types  of  dryers 
for  home  use,  so  that  the  housekeeper  can  see  and  learn  how 
to  dry  or  dehydrate  her  fruits  and  vegetables  so  that  they 
can  be  "restored"  by  simply  soaking  in  water  at  any  time 
during  the  winter.  The  original  orchard  and  garden  fresh 
flavors  and  colors  will  be  in  them  to  perfection,  for  proper 
drying  means  that  merely  the  water  content  has  been  removed 
without  rupturing  the  cell  walls  or  changing  the  flavors, 
colors  and  nutritive  properties.  It  is  a  pleasant  considera- 
tion that  no  winter  day  can  prove  so  cold  and  dreary  but 
that  you  can  have  the  cheer  and  good  things  of  summer  time 

12 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 

on  the  home  table  by  means  of  dehydrated  products.  —  The 
Tribune,  New  York. 

The  one  great  lesson  taught  by  the  special  instruction  train 
to  promote  food  preservation,  which  was  visited  by  hundreds 
of  persons  last  evening  at  the  Erie  station,  is  that  of  dehy- 
drating foods.  Everything  from  peas  to  prunes,  including  to- 
matoes, asparagus,  spinach,  carrots,  beans,  pineapple,  squash, 
can  be  dehydrated  to  advantage,  eliminating  the  need  for 
tin  cans,  glass  jars  and  sugar,  and  absolutely  doing  away 
with  the  waste  resulting  from  "spoiled"  jars. 

Absolutely  every  bit  of  the  dried  fruits  and  vegetables  in 
the  train  had  been  "put  up"  by  Mrs.  A.  Louise  Andrea.  Mrs. 
Andrea  received  first  prize  for  everything  she  canned  and 
preserved  at  the  San  Francisco  fair.  Mrs.  Andrea  spoke 
informally  to  the  groups  of  interested  women  who  gathered 
around  her,  answered  questions,  and  explained  many  of 
her  little  discoveries  which  make  her  work  so  successful.  — 
The  News,  Newburgh,  N.  Y. 

Drying  of  garden  products,  however,  is  going  to  make  the 
amount  of  food  stored  away  for  next  winter's  use  much 
larger  than  it  would  be  otherwise.  This  old-new  idea  of 
food  drying  has  taken  forcible  hold  of  the  American  people. 
Revived  at  this  time  of  imperative  need,  it  has  appealed  to 
every  one  through  its  practicability.  Food  so  prepared  is 
wholesome,  palatable  and  extremely  cheap.  From  being  the 
preoccupation  of  scientists,  the  subject  of  food  drying  has 
come  to  be,  next  to  the  war  itself,  the  biggest  topic  of  the 
day. 

Mr.  Lou  D.  Sweet,  president  of  the  Potato  Association  of 
America,  says  on  this  subject:  "Dehydration  has  come  to 
stay  in  this  country,  and  those  who  are  familiar  with  the 
problem  of  food  production  and  conservation  are  firm  in  the 

13 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

opinion  that  we  are  seeing  only  the  beginning  of  what  is  sure 
to  expand  into  an  enormous  and  important  industry.  Every 
encouragement,  therefore,  should  be  given  to  home  drying, 
in  order  that  the  people  may  become  familar  with  the  excel- 
lence of  the  products  which  may  be  prepared  by  this  method, 
and  to  save  the  vast  quantities  of  excellent  food  which  goes 
to  waste  for  lack  of  adequate  means  of  conservation."  — 
Charles  Lathrop  Pack,  President,  National  War  Gar- 
den Commission. 

A  single  pound  of  dried  tomatoes  or  cabbage  is  equal  to 
10  pounds  of  the  fresh  vegetable,  and  at  least  that  number 
of  pounds  of  the  canned.  A  paper  carton  of  dried  tomatoes, 
no  larger  than  a  package  of  breakfast  food,  and  weighing 
2J  pounds,  is  equivalent,  in  food  values,  to  an  entire  case 
of  canned  tomatoes,  containing  two  dozen  cans,  weighing 
60  pounds.  When  cooked,  each  will  make  the  same  volume 
of  food. 

The  use  of  dried  vegetables  in  cafes,  hotels  and  clubs 
carries  with  it  many  advantages.  It  enables  the  chef  to 
have  on  hand,  at  all  times  and  to  meet  any  emergency  de- 
mand, a  supply  of  all  varieties  of  vegetables.  The  compact- 
ness and  lightness  of  these  dried  vegetables  avoids  the  ne- 
cessity of  maintaining  large  storage  rooms,  often  refrigerated, 
for  a  tin  of  dried  vegetables  weighing  10  pounds,  and  occupy- 
ing less  than  2  cubic  feet  of  space,  will  provide  enough  food 
for  a  thousand  persons  at  one  meal.  As  the  food  is  non- 
perishable,  it  can  be  carried  on  the  pantry  shelves  indefi- 
nitely without  deterioration,  and  when  wanted  for  use  the 
soaking  of  a  few  handfuls  in  water  will  render  the  vegetable 
ready  for  cooking. 

Practically  every  variety  of  fresh  vegetable  is  now  being 
successfully  dried.     In  the  big  drying  plants  on  the  Pacific 

14 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 

coast  all  kinds  of  vegetables,  berries  and  fruits  are  de- 
hydrated. 

The  best  proof  of  the  utility  of  evaporated  vegetables  is 
shown  by  the  kind  of  institutions  which  use  them.  Famous 
hotels,  clubs  and  cafes  from  Maine  to  California  are  using 
them  regularly  in  their  service,  and  many  of  the  leading 
chefs  of  the  country  have  testified  to  the  merits  of  the  new 
form  of  food.  In  New  York  the  Manhattan  and  Ritz-Carlton 
hotels  use  evaporated  vegetables,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the 
Willard  in  Washington,  the  Palace  and  St.  Francis  in  San 
Francisco,  and  many  others  throughout  the  country.  An 
equally  large  list  of  prominent  clubs  and  cafes  have  become 
converted  to  the  new  product. 

The  owners  of  ocean-going  vessels  are  also  becoming  in- 
terested in  evaporated  vegetables  for  use  in  feeding  the 
passengers  and  crews  during  a  voyage.  The  great  saving 
in  space,  their  wide  variety,  and  other  advantages  have  led 
some  of  the  large  operating  companies  on  the  Pacific  coast 
to  try  out  the  products,  and  all  of  them  report  the  results  as 
being  most  satisfactory.  —  The  Steward,  New  York. 

The  advantages  of  dehydration  are  almost  too  obvious  to 
require  extended  statement.  Most  evident  of  all  is  the  loss 
in  weight.  All  the  vegetables  in  common  use  contain  from 
65  to  95  per  cent  of  water.  The  dehydrated  product  made 
from  these  vegetables  should  contain  from  5  to  10  per  cent 
of  water.  There  is,  therefore,  a  very  large  reduction  in 
weight  and  consequent  saving  in  the  transportation  charges, 
which  in  general  are  based  upon  weight. 

Similarly  there  is  a  loss  in  bulk  amounting  to  from  50  to 
80  per  cent  of  the  bulk  of  the  raw  material.  The  importance 
of  these  factors  to  railroads  in  times  of  congestion  such  as 
we  have  just  passed  through,  or  to  ships  in  overseas  service, 

15 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

is  very  evident.  In  the  mere  matter  of  sending  food  to 
armies,  one  ship  could  easily  carry  the  vegetable  requirements 
which  in  the  green  or  fresh  state  would  take  from  10  to  25 
ships. 

From  the  standpoint  of  agriculture  the  greatest  advantage 
of  dehydration  undoubtedly  appears  in  the  stabilization  of 
crops  and  the  conservation  of  materials.  Under  the  present 
conditions  we  are  confronted  by  either  a  feast  or  a  famine. 
If  we  consider  potatoes  as  the  most  typical  root  crop,  it  is  a 
matter  of  experience  that  a  year  in  which  we  get  a  very  large 
harvest  and  consequently  low  prices  is  likely  to  be  followed 
by  a  lean  year  with  a  small  crop  and  high  prices.  This 
pendulum  swing  goes  on  decade  after  decade.  With  de- 
hydration the  excess  of  the  years  of  great  yield  can  be  stored 
up  and  made  available  in  the  following  year,  when  prices 
are  higher  and  the  crop  much  smaller.  After  a  short  time 
this  would  tend  to  equalize  the  amount  of  planting,  and, 
other  things  being  equal,  to  give  us  year  by  year  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  food  materials  at  normal  prices. 

The  second  great  advantage  is  in  the  conservation  of  food 
materials.  It  is  estimated  that  over  50  per  cent  of  the  fruits 
and  vegetables  grown  in  this  country  now  never  reach  the 
consumer,  as  a  result  of  poor  transportation  facilities,  irregu- 
larities in  marketing  or  other  causes.  By  making  use  of  the 
process  of  dehydration  the  second  quality  materials  could 
be  preserved  by  drying,  and  made  available  for  human 
food  and  not  allowed  to  rot  and  waste.  Again,  taking  the 
potato  as  typical,  those  of  classes  2  and  3  (culls)  could  be 
used  for  the  manufacture  of  dehydrated  potato  and  potato 
flour,  a  product  which  has  not  yet  received  in  this  country 
the  attention  which  it  deserves,  but  which  is  now  being 
manufactured  to  some  extent  in  a  number  of  different  parts 
of  the  country. 

16 


REGARDING  DEHYDRATION 

A  third  factor  of  importance  in  the  relation  of  dehydration 
to  agriculture  lies  in  the  fact  that  a  better  diversity  of  crops 
can  be  secured,  and  as  a  result  of  this  there  will  be  a  good 
variety  of  the  vegetables  which  are  the  equivalent  of  fresh 
materials  available  to  poor  and  rich  throughout  the  year. 
This  means  practically  better  feeding  for  the  people  at  large, 
evening  up  of  prices,  and  the  prevention  of  famine  or  great 
food  shortage  as  a  result  of  poor  crops  in  any  particular 
location.  —  Maj.  S.  C.  Prescott,  United  States  Depart- 
ment OP  Agriculture. 

Dehydration  of  fruits  and  vegetables  is  a  field  offering  great 
possibilities,  once  processes  have  been  developed  to  make 
good  products.  Millions  of  pounds  of  water  are  being  carried 
about  in  this  country  every  day  in  freight  cars  at  high  rates, 
in  the  form  of  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables.  The  water  not 
only  costs  consumers  millions  of  dollars  in  freight  and  bulk, 
but  is  the  chief  factor  in  decay  and  freezing.  By  good  proc- 
esses of  dehydration,  which  are  now  being  perfected,  apples 
and  berries  can  be  made  dry  as  chips,  and  potatoes  and 
cabbage  likewise.  A  bushel  of  potatoes  in  the  form  of  dried 
flakes  can  be  carried  home  under  your  arm  in  a  tin  can.  No 
peeling,  no  freezing,  no  decay,  no  waste.  Millions  of  pounds 
of  such  potatoes  were  dehydrated  in  America  and  sent  to  the 
Allies.  In  a  little  tin  you  will  soon  buy  mixtures  of  dehydrated 
vegetables,  six  or  eight  different  kinds,  for  soup.  —  The 
Saturday  Evening  Post. 

I  am  deeply  interested  in  the  industry  of  desiccated  vege- 
tables and  fruits.  I  believe  that  the  general  use  of  such 
products  by  the  general  public  would  be  highly  beneficial. 
The  rapidity  with  which  the  samples  are  dried  and  the  low 
temperature  employed  secure  the  full  value  of  these  products 

17 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

ill  so  far  as  their  vitamine  and   antiscorbutic  properties  are 
concerned.  —  Dr.  Harvey  W.  Wiley. 

In  my  opinion,  gathered  from  my  own  experiments  and 
the  evidence  gathered  in  Germany,  the  food  values  of  dried 
vegetables  remain  the  same  as  fresh.  Regarding  the  so- 
called  vitamines,  the  leaf  vegetables,  such  as  cabbage,  spin- 
ach and  cauliflower,  contain  more  than  do  the  fruits  and 
other  vegetables,  but  owing  to  the  high  prices  in  wintertime 
the  consumer  with  a  limited  pocketbook  is  going  to  buy 
the  grain  products  he  considers  essential  and  cut  out  these 
green  leaf  vegetables.  This  is  a  great  mistake.  Children  par- 
ticularly, and  even  the  grown-ups,  need  this  particular  sub- 
stance which  occurs  in  largest  amount  in  these  green  vege- 
tables which  will  not  be  bought  by  consumers  during  the 
high-priced  season,  hence  my  great  interest  in  the  possibility 
of  converting  these  leaf  vegetables  during  the  season  when 
they  are  very  cheap  into  an  imperishable  commodity  which 
everybody  can  buy  when  fresh  vegetables  are  too  expen- 
sive in  the  winter  season.  —  Professor  McCollum  of 
Rockefeller  Institute  of  Hygiene. 


18 


CHAPTER  II 

USES  FOR  DEHYDRATED   PRODUCTS 

As  intimated  previously,  almost  everything  which 
may  be  eaten  can  be  dehydrated.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  1  have  succeeded  with  everything  but  watermelon, 
in  which  the  percentage  of  moisture  is  so  excessive  and 
the  cellular  structure  so  delicate  that  I  must  exclude 
watermelon  from  the  practicabilities,  albeit  the  rind 
may  be  dehydrated  for  future  use  in  pickles  and  con- 
serves. While  it  would  seem  that  the  tomato  comes 
in  the  "impossible"  category,  nevertheless,  the  tomato 
can  be  dehydrated  to  good  advantage,  in  quarters  if 
the  tomatoes  are  small,  or  sliced,  and  then  ground 
into  powder,  if  desired,  the  latter  being  the  best  for 
soups  and  sauces.  Directions  for  making  these  are 
given  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

Whether  for  commercial  purposes  or  for  home  use, 
it  must  be  realized  that  through  dehydration  the 
finest  and  freshest  of  farm  and  garden  produce  is 
always  available  for  the  bleak  winter  months,  and 
for  use  where  such  produce  cannot  be  grown.  One 
can  have  young,  tender  beans,  fresh  peas,  sweet  corn, 
succulent,  tender  spinach,  tropical  dainties  and  a 
multitude  of  other  food  things  at  any  time  during 
the  winter,  and  at  any  place  whatever,  all  preserved 
at  their  freshest  and  best,  and  when  cheap  and  plenti- 
ful.    In  fact,  in  many  districts  produce  develops  so 

19 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

rapidly  and  in  such  abundance  during  the  summer  that 
it  can  be  often  had  for  the  mere  picking,  and  those 
having  farms  and  gardens  may  dehydrate  in  their 
kitchens  such  small  amounts  of  fruits  and  vegetables 
as  it  would  not  pay  to  put  up  by  a  canning  process, 
but  which  can  be  saved  to  perfection  and  without  cost 
by  simply  using  a  little  home  dehydrator  over  a  kitchen 
range. 

Those  intending  to  do  dehydration  on  a  commercial 
scale  are  naturally  interested  in  the  possible  sources 
of  their  raw  materials  and  markets  for  the  finished 
goods.  I  do  not  think  that  at  first  it  would  be  advisable 
to  try  to  sell  small  package  lots  to  housewives  and 
families,  for  the  time  and  expense  involved  would 
hardly  warrant  this.  Worth-while  quantities  may  be 
easily  sold  to  hotels,  restaurants,  clubs,  camps,  board- 
ing schools,  hospitals  and  other  institutions,  however, 
and  to  the  supply  departments  of  railroads,  steamships 
and  sailing  vessels.  The  advantages  of  such  products 
are  so  many  and  so  obvious  that  but  little  salesmanship 
is  necessary,  for  it  is  a  matter  of  obtaining  fresh  produce 
which  is  already  cleaned  and  ready  for  use,  which  takes 
up  little  storage  space,  and  at  a  positive  saving  of 
cost  and  labor  to  the  purchasers. 

The  tremendous  reduction  in  space  and  weight  is 
all-important  as  far  as  dining  cars  and  ships  are  con- 
cerned. Many  of  the  latter  heretofore  have  been 
going  without  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  on  account 
of  lack  of  room  and  refrigeration,  to  the  detriment  of 
both  passengers  and  crews.     But  where  a  truck  load 

20 


USES  FOR  DEHYDRATED  PRODUCTS 

of  good,  fresh  produce  has  been  reduced  to  a  mere 
case  or  barrel,  all  the  previous  objections  are  done 
away  with,  and  dehydrated  fruits  and  vegetables  will 
be  carried  and  served,  thus  preventing  scurvy  and 
other  ailments,  and  adding  materially  to  the  health, 
efficiency  and  happiness  of  all  concerned. 

To  prove  my  point  I  am  constantly  receiving  letters 
asking  where  good  dehydrated  products  can  be  secured. 
The  following,  from  one  of  the  largest  corporations  in 
the  United  States,  is  an  example :  — 

Dear  Mrs.  Andrea:  —  We  are  operating  a  large  con- 
cession in  South  America,  and  are  obliged  to  transport  to 
our  workers  there  commissary  supplies.  These  have  to  go 
up  a  long  river  in  gasoline  boats  and  then  on  mule  back.  It 
has  occurred  to  us  that  we  might  use  to  advantage  dehydrated 
vegetables  in  this  connection,  and  write  you,  as  we  under- 
stand that  you  have  done  a  great  deal  of  work  in  connection 
with  the  dehydration  of  vegetables,  to  ask  if  you  can  inform 
us  the  name  and  address  of  manufacturers  of  best  grade  of 
these  products.  We  will  greatly  appreciate  any  information 
you  can  give  us. 

Other  profitable  channels  are  opening  up,  such  as 
the  furnishing  of  basic  materials  for  jams,  jellies, 
syrups  and  extracts,  for  the  fruits  employed  therein 
may  be  dehydrated  and  set  aside  to  be  used  when 
convenient,  and  the  resultant  products  are  in  no  wise 
inferior  to  those  made  from  the  fresh  fruits. 

There  is  no  need  of  worry  as  to  the  outcome  of 
a  dehydration  business,  properly  conducted.  In  the 
first  place,   it  is   dealing  with  a  necessary  factor  in 

21 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

life,  namely,  food.  No  matter  what  happens,  whether 
wars,  revolution  or  business  depressions,  every  one 
must  eat.  Jewelry,  books  and  even  clothing  may  be 
unsalable  at  times,  but  where  food  of  the  finest  and 
best  quality  can  be  supplied  in  convenient  form,  and 
at  such  a  saving  of  labor,  spoilage,  space,  bulk  and 
weight,  there  will  always  be  purchasers  aplenty,  and  as 
dehydrated  products  become  more  appreciated,  as  they 
are  bound  to  be,  the  number  of  purchasers  will  con- 
stantly increase. 

Nor  need  the  competition  of  home  dehydrators  be 
feared.  While  there  will  be  plenty  of  home  dehydra- 
tion done,  this  will  not  appreciably  affect  dehydration 
done  on  a  large  and  commercial  scale  any  more  than 
home  canning  has  prevented  packers  from  doing  a 
world-wide  business,  and  in  many  instances  acquiring 
large  fortunes. 

In  marketing  dehydrated  products,  while  little 
argument  will  have  to  be  used,  as  the  facts  speak  for 
themselves,  there  will  always  be  a  certain  amount  of 
demonstration  necessary,  showing  the  dehydrated 
product  in  both  its  dried  and  restored  forms.  Occa- 
sionally a  cooked  demonstration  will  be  demanded, 
which  can  be  given  very  easily,  quickly  and  success- 
fully, if  done  according  to  directions  and  recipes  given 
later  on. 

People  are  astonished  at  seeing  for  the  first  time  how 
wonderfully  fruits  and  vegetables  "come  back." 
Indeed,  it  is  a  modern  food  miracle,  hence  this  compari- 
son should  be  in  evidence  as  a  selling  factor. 

22 


USES  FOR  DEHYDRATED  PRODUCTS 

As  it  takes  a  little  time  to  restore  the  products,  it 
is  neither  convenient  nor  economical  to  restore  samples 
constantly,  for  being  restored  in  plain  water  and 
having  come  back  to  their  original  state  or  condition 
they  will  naturally  spoil  in  the  course  of  two  or  three 
days,  just  as  fresh-cut  foods  would,  and  of  course  in 
hot  weather  decomposition  would  take  place  more 
quickly  than  during  the  winter  months. 

To  have  the  comparison  in  convenient  and  econom- 
ical form,  however,  you  can  allow  the  fruits  and  vege- 
tables to  soak  in  water  for  the  required  time,  and 
when  they  are  restored  put  them  into  small  bottles 
or  jars  full  of  fresh  water,  to  which  a  few  drops  of 
formaldehyde  are  added.  I  have  tried  many  preserva- 
tives and  find  formaldehyde  to  be  the  most  satisfactory 
for  this  purpose.  Just  a  few  drops  are  to  be  added, 
however,  —  not  more  than  three  drops  to  a  2-ounce 
bottle,  or  five  or  six  drops  to  a  half-pint  jar.  If  more 
than  this  is  added  the  products  will  darken  and  lose 
their  fresh,  attractive  appearance.  The  bottles  must 
be  tightly  corked,  while  if  jars  are  used  rubber  rings 
must  be  employed  and  sealing  done  just  as  in  canning. 
Bear  in  mind,  also,  that  formaldehyde  is  poison,  so  these 
display  products  are  not  to  be  eaten,  but  are  merely  to 
show  how  dehydrated  foods  will  "come  back." 

In  making  a  selling  demonstration,  a  very  con- 
vincing part  of  the  exhibit  may  be  a  tin  of  canned 
spinach  purchasable  at  any  store  carrying  a  good 
stock  of  canned  goods.  Then  in  a  small  open  can  you 
may  have  a  small  amount  of  spinach  dehydrated.     In 

23 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

my  exhibit  I  have  an  ordinary  can  of  spinach  which 
contains  1  pound  and  14  ounces,  as  printed  on  the 
label  according  to  legal  requirements.  It  is  a  large 
can,  No.  S  size,  and  adjoining  it  I  have  a  tiny  can  of 
dehydrated  spinach  which  contains  just  as  much  of 
the  actual  vegetable  as  the  large  can  does.  This  shows 
at  a  glance  the  astonishing  difference  in  size,  bulk  and 
weight  between  canned  and  dehydrated  goods.  More- 
over, the  dehydrated  spinach,  like  other  foods  pre- 
served in  this  manner,  may  be  kept  in  a  paper  bag,  a 
cardboard  box,  jar  or  other  receptacle.  The  canned 
spinach  contains  a  very  large  percentage  of  water, 
which  the  consumer  must  pay  for,  whereas  for  de- 
hydrated spinach  the  chef  or  housekeeper  simply 
draws  the  water  from  a  faucet  or  well,  adding  it  as 
desired.  Furthermore,  when  the  ordinary  can  of 
spinach  has  been  opened  its  entire  contents  must  be 
used  up  quickly  or  they  will  spoil,  whereas  with  the 
dehydrated  spinach  a  woman  can  use  any  portion  she 
pleases,  according  to  the  needs  of  the  moment,  and 
the  rest  will  keep  for  some  future  occasion.  I  have  a 
stock  of  dehydrated  spinach  which  has  been  in  a 
cardboard  container  for  three  years,  and  it  still  comes 
back  and  cooks  up  perfectly. 

Following  this  subject  of  spinach  still  further,  there 
is  another  advantage  of  the  dehydrated  as  against  the 
basket  of  fresh  spinach  for  the  hotel  man  or  housewife. 
When  one  buys  a  basket  of  spinach  there  come  with 
it  roots,  dirt  and  usually  many  decayed  leaves,  with 
weeds  thrown  in  for  good  measure  occasionally.    Last, 

24 


USES  FOR  DEHYDRATED  PRODUCTS 


but  not  least,  there  is  the  arduous  and  disagreeable 
task  of  picking  the  spinach  over,  selecting  the  edible 
portions  and  then  washing  them,  and  unless  washed 
very  thoroughly  and  in  a  certain  way  the  spinach 
will  be  gritty  when  it  goes  on  the  table.  So,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  labor  involved,  by  the  time  the  spinach  has 
been  picked  and  washed  a  large  portion  of  it  has 
been  rejected,  whereas  the  dehydrated  product  comes 
picked  over,  cleaned  and  in  compact  form  all  ready 
to  cook,  for  spinach  does  not  need  any  soaking  in 
order  to  restore  it,  but  the  necessary  water  can  be 
added  and  the  cooking  proceeded  with  immediately. 

To  further  exemplify  how  dried  foods  save  space, 
glass  and  tin  here  are  the  results  of  some  tests  made 
in  the  Tribune  Laboratory :  — 


Raw 

Canned 

Dried 

Peaches, 

2  pounds,  8 

1  quart  or  2  pounds. 

Yi     pint     or     6 

ounces. 

4  ounces. 

ounces. 

Peaa,      .... 

1   pound,   4 

1  pint  or  1  pound. 

Yi     pint     or     4 

ounces. 

ounces. 

Carrots, 

2  pounds. 

1  quart  or  1  pound, 
14  ounces. 

1  pint  or  4  ounces. 

Tomatoes,      . 

2  pounds,  6 

2  pints  or  2  pounds, 

M    pint    or    2K 

ounces. 

4  ounces. 

ounces. 

Corn,     .... 

1   pound,   6 

1  pint  or  1  pound,  5 

Yi     pint     or     4 

ounces. 

ounces. 

ounces. 

Apples  (quart),      . 

2  pounds,  4 

1  quart  or  1  pound. 

Y2    pint    or    ZYi 

ounces. 

12  ounces. 

ounces. 

Where  it  is  intended  to  market  the  products  in 
packages,  a  good  trade  name  is  advisable,  for  this  can 
be  quickly  established  as  a  valuable  asset.  As  ex- 
amples of  trade  names  there  are  registered  and  in  use 
already,  "Dryfresh,"  ''Adwater"  and  "Cellsealed." 


25 


CHAPTER  III 

FOR   PETS   AND   DOMESTICATED   ANIMALS 

Our  bird  and  animal  friends  and  their  owners  will 
profit  through  this  new  method  of  preserving  grasses, 
herbs,  fruits  and  vegetables. 

As  I  have  already  stated,  grass  can  be  dehydrated 
and  then  restored  to  excellent  condition.  This  will 
be  welcome  news  to  many  people  who  have  pet  cats, 
especially  to  those  living  in  places  where  the  animals 
are  deprived  of  outdoor  exercise  and  such  pasturage 
as  even  cats  love  and  can  obtain  here  and  there  in 
winter.  To  be  perfectly  healthy  a  cat  needs  a  little 
grass  at  times  and  an  occasional  morsel  of  catnip  or 
some  other  herb. 

I  have  made  many  cats  and  their  owners  happy 
through  a  little  present  of  some  dehydrated  grass 
and  dehydrated  catnip.  The  grass  allowed  to  soak 
for  a  couple  of  hours  looks,  and  doubtless  tastes, 
like  June  grass.  Certainly  the  cats  appreciate  it,  and 
as  for  the  spray  of  catnip  dehydrated  and  then  re- 
stored, the  little  animals'  relish  of  it  is  very  agreeable 
to  behold. 

The  same  thing  holds  true  with  herbs.  These  have 
a  fragrance,  flavor  and  value  such  as  many  of  the  old 
dried  herbs  cannot  possibly  furnish,  and  while  I  have 
not  taken  up,  as  yet,  the  subject  of  dehydrated  herbs 

26 


FOR  ANIMALS 

for  general  medicinal  use,  I  am  satisfied  that  here  is  a 
big  and  profitable  field. 

Speaking  of  grass  and  other  green  fodder,  it  is  true 
that  silos  give  many  farmers,  stock  raisers  and  dairy- 
men an  invaluable  adjunct.  At  the  same  time,  there 
are  thousands  of  men  owning  horses,  cows  and  other 
animals  who  cannot  avail  themselves  of  ensilage,  and 
whose  animals  must  sorely  miss  a  taste  of  green  food 
during  the  long  winter  months,  and  really  suffer  for 
want  of  it. 

A  stock  of  dehydrated  grass,  green  corn  leaves,  pea 
pods,  turnip-tops  and  the  like  would  not  only  be  of 
practical  value  but  a  real  kindness  to  the  animals  for 
whose  care,  comfort  and  happy  condition  the  owner 
is  responsible. 

It  is  astonishing  what  a  considerable  amount  of  green 
fodder  can  be  reduced  to  an  infinitesimal  compass  and 
stored  in  any  convenient  place,  even  in  a  cold  building, 
for  dehydrated  products  will  not  freeze.  A  little  of  this 
fodder  steeped  in  tepid  water  for  a  short  time  will  be  a 
most  welcome  treat,  and  will  tend  toward  preventing 
many  ailments  animals  are  subject  to  that  are  fed 
exclusively  upon  dried  food. 

This  brings  up  a  very  important  potential  proposi- 
tion of  salvage,  utilizing  to  good  purpose  pea  pods, 
cauliflower  leaves  and  other  rejects  from  canning 
plants  and  elsewhere.  Of  course,  when  considering 
the  use  of  such  rejects  it  is  necessary  to  be  assured  that 
no  disinfectant  has  been  thrown  on  them,  for  this  is 
sometimes  practiced   in  the   case  of  heaps   of  outer 

27 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

leaves  of  vegetables  and  whatnot  in  order  to  prevent 
flies  and  odors. 

In  this  connection  it  is  well  known  how  much  better 
off  hens  and  chickens  are  if  fed  green  stuff  from  time 
to  time,  whether  egg  production  has  to  be  considered 
or  the  marketing  of  poultry  for  table  use.  Here  is  a 
convenient  and  economical  means  of  adding  to  the 
poultry  rations,  not  only  grass  and  other  leaves,  but 
an  occasional  meal  of  vegetables,  the  culls  and  un- 
marketable produce  being  useful  in  this  way.  When 
dehydrating,  however,  only  fresh  and  sound  stuff 
must  be  used.  Badly  wilted  or  decomposed  parts  will 
spoil  the  entire  output;  but  as  intimated,  vegetables 
too  small  to  market,  or  that  cannot  be  shipped  profit- 
ably in  their  heavy  raw  state,  may  be  put  to  good  use 
in  this  and  other  ways. 


28 


CHAPTER   IV 

DEHYDRATING   IN  LARGE  QUANTITIES 

We  will  now  consider  dehydration  in  commercial 
or  community  plants.  Such  plants  have  been  and  are 
being  established  all  over  the  United  States  and  in 
other  countries  as  well,  and  various  types  of  dehy- 
drators  are  being  used,  —  tunnel,  kiln  and  chamber 
driers,  some  of  the  latter  being  portable  and  others 
equipped  with  traveling  belts  instead  of  trays,  this 
with  a  view  to  doing  away  with  labor  in  handling  and 
thereby  reducing  cost. 

As  regards  the  commercial  proposition,  markets  and 
sales  require  particularly  careful  consideration. 

A  community  plant  may  be  conducted  on  a  co-op- 
erative basis,  with  the  idea  of  supplying  local  families 
with  fruits  and  vegetables  for  home  use,  the  idea 
being  always  to  take  advantage  of  summer  low  prices 
and  abundance  as  against  scarcity  and  high  prices 
during  winter. 

People  bring  their  produce  to  the  community  plant 
where  it  is  treated,  either  for  a  cash  consideration  or 
for  a  percentage  of  the  produce  itself.  That  is  to  say,  a 
certain  portion  of  everything  bought  is  retained  in  the 
community  plant  to  pay  its  operating  expenses,  and 
the  balance  returned  to  the  farmer  or  producer  who 
brings  it  in  to  be  dehydrated.  The  patrons  are  en- 
couraged, and  in  some  instances  required,  to  bring 

29 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

their  fruits  and  vegetables  peeled  and  cut,  or  otherwise 
prepared  before  bringing  them  to  the  dehydrator. 
The  objection  to  this  is,  however,  the  rapid  deteriora- 
tion of  materials  after  the  protective  skins  have  been 
removed  and  the  cut  surfaces  exposed.  For  this 
reason  it  is  better  to  have  peelers  and  cutters  available 
at  the  plant.  And,  once  for  all,  the  produce  must  be 
sound  and  as  fresh  as  possible.  Dehydration  will  not 
save  "turned"  or  decomposed  materials. 

Where  the  community  plant  is  conducted  in  an 
ordinary  business  way  the  products  are  sold  and  a 
division  of  profits  is  made,  fro  rata,  with  the  stock- 
holders, as  in  any  other  business,  the  stockholders 
in  this  case  buying  whatever  they  need  from  the  com- 
munity plant  and  paying  for  it  just  as  every  one  else 
would.  In  addition  to  this,  if  local  producers  are 
interested  in  the  plant  financially,  it  will  tend  toward 
assurance  of  raw  material,  both  as  to  quality  and 
regular  supply. 

The  managers  of  community  plants,  however,  must 
assure  them^selves  that  those  interested  fully  ap- 
preciate how  much  raw  materials  shrink  when  dehy- 
drated, otherwise  there  is  apt  to  be  suspicion  and  dis- 
satisfaction. 

People  must  realize,  for  example,  that  a  pound  of 
fresh  carrots  comes  down  to  2  ounces  or  less  upon 
being  prepared  and  dehydrated,  it  being  remembered 
that  part  of  the  loss  is  caused  through  cleaning  and 
peeling,  and,  with  many  things,  through  necessary 
rejection   of   bruised    surfaces.     The    same    reasoning 

30 


DEHYDRATING  IN  LARGE  QUANTITIES 

applies  to  pod  and  leaf  vegetables,  so  it  is  not  only 
advisable  but  necessary  to  give  ocular  demonstration 
and  proof  at  the  very  outset. 

Many  systems  of  dehydration  are  being  exploited 
just  at  present,  "most  of  them  bad,"  as  one  of  the 
foremost  experts  in  the  country  said  to  me. 

Dehydration  seems  so  simple  and  so  easy  at  the 
first  glance  that  many  people  have  gone  into  the  busi- 
ness without  due  consideration  or  adequate  knowledge. 
Experience  shows  them,  however,  that  there  is  a  lot 
to  learn  and  many  factors  to  take  into  account.  Hence 
they  have  obtained  consequences  instead  of  results. 

There  are  different  qualities  of  dehydration,  —  poor, 
better  and  best.  The  first  test  of  a  dehydrated  product 
is  its  keeping  quality,  and  then,  all-important  to  the 
consumer,  how  it  restores  and  tastes  when  served. 
Poorly  dehydrated  products  will  not  keep  long;  fur- 
thermore, they  take  too  much  time  to  restore  (even 
when  they  will  restore  at  all),  and  are  then  insipid  and 
inferior  in  flavor.  In  fact,  I  have  countless  specimens 
of  so-called  dehydrated  stuff  which  has  been  both 
brought  and  sent  to  me  to  find  out  why  it  would  not 
come  back,  or  why  it  quickly  molded.  If  overdried 
or  dried  too  slowly  the  cell  walls  have  been  ruptured, 
chemical  changes  have  taken  place,  and  in  many  in- 
stances an  actual  cooking  has  resulted,  usually  because 
too  high  a  temperature  has  been  employed  or  too 
much  time  has  been  consumed  in  the  process.  As  for 
the  molding,  this  is  generally  caused  by  the  inner 
cells  retaining  too  much  moisture,  and  here  is  one  of 

31 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

the  points  regarding  which  many  dehydrators  go 
wrong,  as  I  will  explain  presently. 

I  obtain  the  best  results  by  starting  the  dehydration 
at  a  relatively  low  temperature,  and  I  insure  a  perfect 
product  by  having  a  certain  amount  of  moisture  in 
the  dehydrator  at  first.  Relatively  good  products 
may  be  obtained  without  the  employment  of  such 
moisture,  or  through  a  one-temperature  drying,  but 
some  initial  moisture  and  raising  of  temperature  will 
be  necessary  to  obtain  perfect  results,  and  here  is  the 
reason.  If  raw  materials  are  subjected  immediately 
to  a  high,  dry  temperature  there  is  a  very  rapid  evap- 
oration from  the  surface  or  superficial  cells,  which 
"skin  dries"  the  material,  forming  practically  a  glaze 
or  coating  which  prevents  the  inner  cells  from  liberating 
their  moisture  as  they  should  do.  Consequently  when 
the  product  is  apparently  dehydrated,  the  inner  cells 
still  contain  too  much  moisture,  and  are  still  subject 
to  enzymic  action,  besides  which  this  moisture  exuding 
later  on  will  furnish  a  dampness  sufficient  to  allow 
of  the  superficial  molding  which  has  given  so  many 
people  such  trouble  and  loss.  At  one  time  hot  dry 
air  was  considered  so  necessary  that  attempts  were 
made  to  eliminate  moisture  from  the  air  by  passing  it 
through  or  over  some  hygroscopic  substance  such  as 
calcium  chloride  or  sulphuric  acid,  or  by  heat-drying 
the  air  before  it  was  admitted  to  the  drying  chamber, 
but  such  methods  proved  fallacious  besides  adding 
to  the  operating  costs. 

Dehydration  is  such  a  new  subject  that  it  is  difficult 


-^    0 

c  .5 

(S 

C 

0 


DEHYDRATING  IN  LARGE  QUANTITIES 

to  find  a  standard  or  basis  of  agreement  upon  all  points 
among  those  who  are  experimenting  with  it.  But  with 
all  due  deference  to  contrary  opinions,  and  after 
having  carefully  tested  many  systems  and  worked 
with  the  subject  for  some  years,  I  am  able  to  secure 
the  best  results  by  observing  the  following  rules:  to 
use  radiate  heat  rather  than  direct  heat;  to  start 
with  the  lowest  temperature  necessary  and  finish  with 
the  highest  temperature  suitable.  And,  by  the  way, 
times  and  temperatures  vary  for  different  products. 
But  whatever  the  necessary  time  or  temperature,  I 
can  only  get  results  satisfactory  to  myself  by  starting 
at  the  minimum  temperature  and  finishing  at  the 
maximum  temperature  for  each  particular  product, 
having  moisture  in  the  dehydrator  for  a  certain  length 
of  time,  which  insures  all  the  cells  (both  inner  and 
outer)  being  uniformly  dehydrated,  finishing  up  with 
the  highest  heat  called  for,  and  dry  heat  at  this  latter 
period. 

My  conclusions  have  been  formed,  as  I  say,  through 
years  of  tests  and  at  times  great  discouragements,  to 
say  nothing  of  mistakes  and  the  following  of  theories 
which  seemed  plausible,  but  which  experience  and 
better  knowledge  of  the  subject  made  me  discard.  I 
still  have  people  calling  upon  me  who  maintain  that 
immediate,  dry,  direct  heat  and  just  the  one  tempera- 
ture are  all-sufficient.  The  samples  of  their  products 
force  me  to  disagree  with  them,  and  in  several  in- 
stances I  have  noticed  that  the  previous  ideas  of  using 
dry,  direct  heat  and  a  one-temperature  process  have 

33 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

been  abandoned  and  other  dehydration  methods  have 
been  sought  after,  for  it  was  ascertained,  in  the  pro- 
verbially dear  school  of  experience,  that  rapid  "skin 
drying*'  means  molding  later  on  and  imperfect  restora- 
tion. 

Further  considerations,  and  essential  considerations 
regarding  commercial  dehydrators  handling  ton  lots 
of  produce,  are  the  costs.  There  are  time,  fuel,  labor 
and  other  "overheads"  to  be  charged  up  against  the 
products,  and  I  have  seen  plants  where  the  cost  of 
production  per  finished  pound  was  more  than  the  food 
could  be  sold  for,  even  though  the  products  were  of 
pretty  fair  quality.  Hence,  an  apparatus  which  might 
be  used  profitably  in  connection  with  dyes  or  chemicals 
would  not  handle  food  materials  economically.  There- 
fore, as  there  is  dehydration  and  dehydration,  so 
there  are  plants  and  plants,  and  it  is  very  important 
when  considering  a  plant  to  go  into  the  matter  of 
costs  carefully,  to  say  nothing  of  quality  of  output, 
and  finally  to  plan  and  arrange  the  various  steps  so  that 
there  will  be  no  waste  action. 

Speaking  of  heat,  radiate  heat  does  give  better 
results  than  direct  heat  from  a  furnace.  The  drying 
is  more  uniform  and  evaporation  is  more  gentle  and 
regular,  all  of  which  has  an  important  bearing  upon 
the  finished  goods. 

Heat,  circulation  and  eUmination  of  moisture  are 
such  essential  factors  in  dehydration  that  these  three 
coactive  points  should  be  carefully  considered  before 
purchasing  any  plant  or  adopting  any  system.     And 

34 


DEHYDRATING  IN  LARGE  QUANTITIES 

with  a  dehydration  plant  for  which  a  large  sum  is  spent 
and  which  does  not  embody  these  three  factors  in 
proper  relation  to  each  other,  and  which  is  so  expensive 
to  operate  that  the  resultant  products  cost  too  much, 
loss  and  disappointment  are  the  certain  consequences, 
in  which  event  it  is  not  fair  to  blame  dehydration  and 
its  principles. 

Some  people  rely  upon  huge  blowers.  These  have 
the  fault  of  sweeping  air  so  rapidly  over  the  cut  surfaces 
of  the  materials  that  "skin  drying"  or  surface  coating 
is  often  caused  thereby;  besides  which  the  use  of  too 
much  power  or  waste  heat  means  an  unnecessary  fuel 
expenditure.  The  best  products  that  I  have  found 
are  obtained  by  a  suction  or  drawing  of  the  air,  giving 
a  slight  vacuum  effect,  or  by  a  process  in  which  the 
fanning  or  blowing  seems  almost  insignificant  at  first 
sight,  but,  which  nevertheless,  circulates  the  air  in  the 
dehydrator  quite  sufficiently,  and  the  radiate  heat, 
together  with  the  correct  amount  of  moisture  elimina- 
tion, afford  results  which  are  eminently  satisfactory. 

The  Vacuum  Process 

While  vacuum  dehydrators  are  excellent  for  many 
substances,  no  doubt,  I  have  yet  to  be  convinced  that 
they  are  practicable,  commercially  speaking,  as  far 
as  vegetables  are  concerned. 

From  what  I  have  seen,  the  equipment  is  elaborate 
and  quite  expensive.  This  system  requires  a  cham- 
ber  containing    steam-heated    shelves,    together  with 

35 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

a  vacuum   pump    and   the   necessary    heating   appa 
ratus. 

As  it  is  impossible  to  set  an  exact  time  for  the  de- 
hydration of  any  one  material,  it  is  necessary,  with  this 
system,  to  "turn  off  the  vacuum"  and  open  the  cham- 
ber in  order  to  inspect  the  material,  and  then  to  reseal 
and  re-establish  the  vacuum  in  case  the  product  is 
not  ready  for  removal.  Moreover,  all  this  may  have 
to  be  done  more  than  once,  and  in  case  too  high  a 
vacuum  is  used  the  materials  are  apt  to  be  shattered 
severely.  In  fact,  I  have  seen  foods  treated  by  this 
process  which  were  puffed  up  and  blistered  in  many 
places,  and  in  other  materials  the  cellular  structure 
was  obviously  broken  down,  although  this  may  have 
been  the  fault  of  the  operator  and  not  of  the  system. 

It  is  claimed  for  the  vacuum  process  that  fish  and 
meats  dehydrated  thereby  do  not  undergo  protein 
coagulation,  but  for  that  matter  I  have  seen  fish  and 
meats  of  various  kinds  dehydrated  perfectly  by  other 
processes,  and  the  delicate  flavors  and  aromas  of  fruits 
and  vegetables  retained  just  as  well. 

Despite  the  foregoing,  however,  I  do  believe  that  a 
good,  commercial  vacuum  dryer  will  be  procurable.  In 
fact,  I  am  to  test  one  that  is  nearly  finished  and  very 
promising. 

Regarding  Appearance  of  Products 

While  it  is  most  important  to  furnish  or  produce 
dehydrated  foods  that  will  restore  and  cook  perfectly 

36 


DEHYDRATING  IN  LARGE  QUANTITIES 

as  to  flavors,  colors  and  other  qualities,  we  must  not 
overlook  the  necessity  of  attractive  appearance  when 
dehydration  has  been  accomplished,  as  this  means 
salability  and  demand.  I  am  very  sure  that  people 
would  hesitate  before  buying,  and  even  refuse  to  buy, 
dehydrated  foods  that  were  badly  discolored  and  dis- 
agreeable looking.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  have  seen 
dehydrated  stuff  which  restored  and  cooked  very  well 
indeed,  but  which  was  so  dingy  and  dark  and  unat- 
tractive in  the  packages  that  most  people  would  not 
take  it  as  a  gift,  even  though  the  producer  knew  that 
it  would  look  well  and  taste  good  after  restoration  or 
rehydration. 

Really  precooked  stuff  does  not  look  attractive,  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  many  raw  materials  treated  with  a 
little  steaming  before  dehydration  do  look  attractive 
and  promising,  and,  when  shown  in  connection  with 
some  of  the  same  things  restored,  it  is  an  easy  matter 
to  convince  prospective  purchasers. 

The  drying  should  stop  when  the  product  is  leathery 
and  when  no  moisture  can  be  squeezed  out  from  the 
ends  of  pieces  after  breaking.  The  "brittle"  stage 
may  be  reached  during  the  conditioning  later;  but 
the  products  must  not  be  dried  "brittle"  in  the  dryer. 

In  order  to  set  color  and  texture,  steam  blanching  is 
advisable.  In  other  words,  most  raw  materials  should 
be  subjected  to  a  brief  period  of  steaming.  This  is 
called  "blanching,"  a  canner's  term,  and  although 
I  do  not  like  the  word  blanching,  as  it  is  commonly 
used,  I  am  following  the  precedent. 

37 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Blanching  may  be  done  in  boiling  water,  but  then 
the  materials  lose  some  of  their  nutrients,  whereas 
by  blanching  in  steam  nothing  is  lost  and  the  color  is 
intensified.  Take  the  case  of  Brussels  sprouts,  for 
example.  Cut  the  sprouts  in  half  lengthwise  and 
then  dehydrate  some  without  blanching  and  others 
after  being  steam-blanched.  You  will  find  that  the 
blanched  sprouts  look  much  better  upon  the  comple- 
tion of  dehydration;  also  they  restore  more  quickly, 
and  even  look  better  when  cooked. 

The  blanching  should  be  quickly  done.  The  truck 
containing  the  trays  can  be  run  into  a  steam  chamber, 
left  in  for  a  brief  period,  and  then  be  immediately 
placed  in  the  dehydrator,  which  should  be  ready 
heated  to  the  starting  temperature.  As  soon  as  fruits 
and  vegetables  are  peeled  and  cut  they  become  subject 
to  chemical  changes,  decomposition  and  the  action  of 
bacteria,  yeasts  and  molds,  so  prompt  action  is  nec- 
essary to  arrest  and  avert  undesirable  change  and 
destructive  action. 

If  no  steaming  apparatus  is  available  and  blanching 
must  be  done  in  boiling  water,  the  material  should  be 
placed  in  a  wire  basket  and  active  boiling  be  assured 
for  the  time  necessary  for  each  material. 

While  approximate  times  and  tables  are  given  later 
on  in  this  book,  it  must  be  understood  that  the  times 
can  only  be  approximate,  for  the  produce  varies  ac- 
cording to  the  season,  soil  in  which  grown,  and  its 
staleness  or  freshness,  and,  of  course,  the  way  in  which 
it    is    cut,  —  slices,    cubes,    strips    and    their    relative 

38 


DEHYDRATING  IN  LARGE  QUANTITIES 

thickness.  Hence  judgment  must  be  exercised,  but 
a  little  experience  will  soon  enable  one  to  determine 
the  exact  length  of  time  for  blanching,  and,  as  ex- 
plained later  on,  for  the  dehydration  process  itself. 

Another  question  comes  up,  and  that  is  the  matter 
of  cold-dipping.  This  means  quickly  dipping  the 
blanched  materials  into  cold  water.  Immediately 
after  blanching,  the  materials  are  plunged  into  cold 
water,  then  quickly  taken  out,  drained  for  a  few  mo- 
ments and  placed  in  the  dehydrator.  It  is  said  to  set 
the  color,  the  shock  destroys  certain  bacteria,  and  that 
some  products  restore  quicker  after  undergoing  the 
cold-dip.  So,  while  the  cold-dip  may  be  used,  if  de- 
sired, I  have  discarded  it  as  of  no  particular  advantage. 

After  the  products  are  removed  from  the  dehydrator 
there  is  a  process  very  essential,  which  has  been  called 
"conditioning"  or  "curing." 

This  means  that  the  product  is  to  be  exposed  in  trays 
or  bins  for  a  time,  and  it  should  be  covered  carefully 
with  cheesecloth,  for  the  greatest  care  must  be  exer- 
cised to  prevent  insects  getting  at  the  material  that 
is  "conditioning;"  otherwise  infestation  is  probable, 
with  disastrous  consequences.  There  are  moths  which 
particularly  favor  dehydrated  fruits  and  vegetables, 
and  consider  them  ideal  media  in  which  to  lay  their 
eggs.  These  eggs  would  hatch  later,  and  the  grub 
worms,  or  larvse,  would  rapidly  cause  havoc  in  the 
product.  Hence  it  is  most  important  that  the  strictest 
precautions  be  observed.  I  have  found  that  72  hours 
is  sufficient  time  for  conditioning,  and  in  this  time  the 

39 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

products  dry  out  still  further,  so  that  is  another  reason 
why  they  should  not  stay  in  the  dehydrator  until 
brittle,  but  rather  come  out  leathery,  although  suffi- 
ciently dry. 

The  dehydrator  and  conditioning  rooms  must  be 
kept  immaculately  clean;  windows  and  doors  should 
be  screened,  and  I  would  advocate  a  thorough  steriliza- 
tion of  the  entire  plant  at  brief  intervals.  Moreover, 
while  "conditioning,"  the  products  should  be  kept  in 
a  relatively  cool,  dark  place  and  eternal  vigilance  be 
exercised  to  exclude  the  troublesome  moth  pests. 
Moreover,  darkness  prevents  the  products  bleaching 
out,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  advisable  to  have  screens 
or  shutters  whereby  the  light  can  be  excluded  when 
desired. 

During  "conditioning"  the  product  should  be  turned 
over  twice  a  day  so  as  to  let  the  air  get  at  it  uniformly, 
and  while  this  "conditioning"  may  seem  like  a  trivial 
matter,  again  I  say  that  it  is  most  necessary. 

Auxiliaries  such  as  peelers  and  cutters  may  be  em- 
ployed to  good  advantage,  depending  largely  upon 
quantity  handled  and  labor  costs,  and,  as  with  every- 
thing else,  there  are  poor,  good  and  best  machines  for 
this  purpose. 


40 


Mrs.  Oliver  Harriman  dehydrating  vegetables  from  her  country  estate 


CHAPTER  V 

PACKING  AND  PRESERVATION 

The  matter  of  sulphuring  is  a  much-disputed  point. 
Some  people  advocate  it,  while  others  are  violently 
opposed  to  it.  Those  who  favor  it  claim  that  it  is  not 
injurious  to  health,  while  their  opponents  assert  that 
it  is. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  how  long  does  sulphuring  protect 
fruits  and  vegetables  against  insect  attack.^  We  have 
all  seen  sun-dried  apricots,  etc.,  horribly  infested, 
although  these  products  have  admittedly  been  sul- 
phured. 

At  present,  therefore,  sulphurization  would  seem  to 
be  a  matter  of  personal  predilection. 

Generally  speaking,  apples,  apricots,  pears  and 
peaches  are  sulphured  before  drying  in  order  to  pre- 
vent discoloration,  and  in  many  cases,  after  sun  drying, 
to  destroy  the  grub  worms  with  which  they  have  be- 
come infested  during  the  process. 

As  1  have  stated  previously,  I  am  not  advocating 
the  use  of  sulphur,  and  when  we  read  that  during  the 
war  the  government  specifications  called  for  non- 
sulphured  potatoes,  it  is  readily  seen  that  sulphuring 
is  not  looked  upon  with  favor  generally.  There  are 
those,  however,  who  wish  to  employ  sulphur,  especially 
with  potatoes,  so  for  that  reason  I  will  say  that  one 
producer  whom  1  know  very  well  says  that  he  uses 

41 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

250  pounds  of  sulphur  to  100,000  pounds  of  sliced  or 
cubed  potatoes,  these  being  all  ready  for  the  dehydrator. 
Moreover,  he  employs  just  a  suggestion  of  sulphur 
fume  in  the  dehydrator  during  the  entire  process,  al- 
though the  main  sulphuring  is  done  before  the  potato 
goes  into  the  dehydrating  chamber,  and  he  states  that 
sulphurization  effectually  prevents  enzymic  action, 
so  that  while  the  blanched  product  will  ferment  in 
humid  chmates  the  sulphured  potato  will  not. 

In  using  sulphur  judgment  must  be  exercised  and 
allowances  made  for  whether  the  product  is  new  or 
old,  and  how  thickly  the  trays  are  loaded. 

In  dealing  with  sulphured  potatoes  ultimately,  it  is 
very  important  that  they  should  be  cooked  in  steam 
instead  of  boiling  water,  as  when  cooked  in  boiling 
water  they  become  slimy  and  have  a  disagreeable 
effect,  which  can  be  removed,  however,  by  putting  the 
pieces  in  a  sieve  or  colander,  after  cooking,  and  letting 
hot  water  run  through  them. 

Sulphuring  is  an  easy  matter  for  those  who  wish 
to  employ  the  process,  but  it  should  be  done  out  of 
doors,  as  the  fumes  are  very  disagreeable. 

For  small  quantities  of  material  a  wooden  box  large 
enough  to  enclose  the  trays,  one  over  the  other,  may  be 
used,  the  lowest  tray  being  a  few  inches  above  the 
ground.  Sulphur  can  be  placed  in  a  metal  container 
and  ignited,  but  the  product  should  not  be  left  over  the 
fumes  longer  than  is  necessary. 

For  large  quantities  a  wooden  receptacle  can  be 
constructed  which  will  hold  anywhere  from  8  to  15 

42 


PACKING  AND  PRESERVATION 

trays,  —  in  fact,  the  average  truck  load  of  trays,  — 
and  the  sulphur  employed  as  just  stated,  some  pro- 
ducers fuming  for  10  minutes,  while  others  advocate 
as  much  as  25  or  30  minutes. 

Dipping  fruits  to  prevent  discoloration  has  been 
tried  extensively,  chlorate  of  potash,  permanganate 
of  potash,  sulphate  of  magnesia,  chloride  of  lime, 
peroxide  of  hydrogen,  etc.,  being  used  in  different 
strengths,  but  none  of  these  has  proved  satisfactory. 

Some  people  engaged  in  commercial  dehydration  sub- 
ject the  products  just  before  packing,  or  in  the  open 
packages,  to  a  temperature  of  180°  to  185°  F.  for  a 
period  of  from  3  to  5  minutes,  in  order  to  sterilize 
them.  The  material  is  put  into  cold  chambers  and  the 
temperature  is  then  quickly  raised  to  the  required 
degree.  If  in  an  oven  the  door  should  be  left  slightly 
open.    Seal  packages  immediately  after  sterilizing. 

Regarding  packages  there  are  many  forms  of  commer- 
cial cartons  used,  vegetables  hke  potatoes  and  beans, 
which  do  not  stain,  being  put  up  in  ordinary  paper  car- 
tons, while  berries  and  the  like  are  put  into  cartons 
which  are  paraflSned.  There  is  also  a  very  good  pack- 
age, grease-proof,  which  is  silica  lined  and  waxed  on 
the  outer  surfaces,  and  the  reports  I  receive  as  to  it 
are  very  favorable.  There  are  also  tin  cans  sealed 
under  a  vacuum  process  after  being  packed,  while 
other  cans  have  covers  which  can  be  pried  open  and 
snapped  shut  again.  For  moist,  tropical  climates  cans 
may  be  necessary  and  probably  are,  but,  generally 
speaking,    dehydrated    products    keep    better    if    the 

43 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

packages  allow  of  some  circulation  of  air,   although 
they  must  be  insect  proof. 

For  home  use,  paper  bags  securely  tied  and  pref- 
erably paraffined,  ordinary  cardboard  boxes,  crocks, 
wooden  pails,  etc.,  may  be  utilized,  but  the  packages 
must  be  kept  in  a  dry  place  and  preferably  at  a  mod- 
erate temperature. 


44 


CHAPTER  VI 

DEHYDRATING   FOODS   IN  THE  HOME 
Followed  by  General  Hints  and  Data 

A  good  little  home  dehydrator  is  a  useful  and  val- 
uable article.  It  will  prevent  internment  in  the  kitchen 
and  standing  over  a  hot  stove,  for  you  can  put  your 
fruits  and  vegetables  into  it,  use  your  little  dehydra- 
tor on  your  range  or  stove,  and  practically  no  more 
attention  is  necessary  until  the  time  is  up  for  the 
product  to  have  finished  drying.  In  this  way  you  can 
save  both  small  and  large  amounts  of  summer  food 
materials,  obtained  when  they  are  cheap  and  plenti- 
ful, for  use  next  winter  in  so  perfect  a  degree  that  they 
will  be  as  tasty  and  delicious  as  when  fresh  picked. 

Furthermore,  if  you  still  want  to  have  home-canned 
fruits  and  vegetables  of  your  own,  and  good  jams, 
jellies  and  preserves,  you  can  make  these  up  in  winter, 
and  at  any  time  most  convenient  to  yourself,  from  the 
products  which  you  have  dehydrated  during  the 
summer,  for  from  the  products  which  you  have  de- 
hydrated during  the  summer  you  can  do  your  canning 
and  conserving  just  as  perfectly  as  if  you  did  it  at 
the  time  you  got  the  fresh  product. 

In  order  to  satisfy  myself  that  dehydrated  products 
would  do  anything  that  fresh  produce  would  do,  I 
tested  them  out  in  every  way,  including  canning,  and 
in  consequence  I  have  a  complete  stock  of  canned 

45 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

fruits  and  vegetables,  perfect  jellies,  jams,  marmalades 
and  conserves  of  every  kind,  all  from  dehydrated 
materials. 

Where  a  coal  range  is  being  used  constantly,  the  home 
dehydrator  very  soon  pays  for  itself  by  affording  the 
means  of  saving  small  lots  of  fruits  and  vegetables  which 
might  be  lost  or  thrown  away  but  for  dehydration. 

It  does  not  pay  to  put  up  just  a  small  lot  of  stuff 
in  glass  jars,  for  there  is  so  much  work  involved,  —  the 
sterilizing  of  jars,  rubbers  and  tops,  then  the  filling 
and  emptying  of  the  hot-water  bath  and  other  inci- 
dentals, whereas  the  fruits  or  vegetables  on  hand  may 
be  cut  as  desired,  placed  on  the  trays  in  the  dehydrator 
and  the  drying  down  on  the  top  of  the  range,  where- 
upon no  close  attention  is  necessary.  When  the  time 
is  up  the  produce  may  be  examined,  and  if  dehydra- 
tion is  completed  the  material  may  be  set  in  a  shallow 
pan  or  other  cheesecloth-covered  receptacle  and  put  in  a 
cool,  dark  place  to  condition  for  three  days  or  so,  stirring 
the  stuff  a  couple  of  times  daily  so  as  to  allow  uniform 
curing.     A  cheesecloth  covering  is  very  advisable. 

If  comparatively  large  amounts  are  to  be  dehydrated 
at  home,  a  regular  day's  work  can  be  devoted  to  this 
purpose,  and  as  the  dryer  may  be  filled  and  emptied 
two  or  three  times  a  day,  it  will  be  realized  that  a  large 
amount  of  good  farm  or  garden  produce  may  be  set 
aside  to  be  used  during  the  following  winter,  where- 
upon it  will  be  found  to  be  as  dehcious  as  the  fresh- 
picked,  —  that  is,  if  it  has  been  properly  dehydrated, 
—  a  simple  matter,  after  all. 

46 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND  DATA 

There  are  as  many  theories  about  home  dehydration 
as  there  are  about  home  dryers.  I  do  not  think  it  is 
worth  while  to  go  into  the  details  of  these  various 
theories,  so  I  will  tell  what  means  and  methods  I 
have  personally  found  to  be  the  best,  after  several 
years  of  doing  dehydration  in  my  kitchen. 

The  very  first,  and  a  most  important,  consideration 
is  the  dryer  itself.  You  cannot  get  satisfactory  results 
from  a  dryer  which  is  not  built  on  correct  principles, 
and  which  works  against  Nature's  laws,  as  many  of 
the  little  dryers  do. 

As  I  said  earlier  in  this  volume,  drying  and  dehy- 
dration are  not  the  same  thing.  I  think  it  will  be  well 
to  give  my  reasons  again  for  making  that  statement. 

Everything  is  composed  of  tiny  cells,  each  cell 
containing  flavoring  essentials,  coloring  matter  and 
nutritive  properties,  and  of  course  a  relatively  large 
amount  of  fluid.  By  dehydration  you  quickly  draw 
the  water  or  fluid  through  the  cell  walls  or  membranes 
without  rupturing  the  cell  walls.  Thus  you  leave 
everything  in  the  cells  except  the  water,  and  this  can 
be  restored  by  allowing  the  products  to  soak  in  water 
for  a  certain  length  of  time,  when  they  will  take  back 
all  or  nearly  all  of  the  water  that  was  originally  ex- 
tracted. Whereas  mere  drying  is  a  long,  slow  process, 
and  after  a  time  the  cell  walls  crack  and  allow  the 
volatiles  to  escape  and  chemical  changes  to  take  place, 
so  that  you  lose  flavor,  coloring  and  other  properties. 

To  dehydrate,  whether  it  be  on  a  large  commercial 
scale  in  ton  lots,  or  in  small  quantities  in  the  home, 

47 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

you  must  have  a  certain  degree  or  degrees  of  heat, 
neither  too  httle  nor  too  much,  for  if  the  temperature 
is  too  low  you  do  not  extract  your  moisture  rapidly 
enough,  and  if  the  temperature  is  too  high  you  break 
the  cells  and  even  cook  the  produce,  and  if  it  is  once 
cooked  it  will  never  restore  to  a  nice  fresh  flavor, 
appearance  and  condition. 

So  you  must  have  the  requisite  heat;  also  a  good 
circulation  of  air  and  an  efl&cient  means  of  taking 
away  the  moisture  that  is  liberated  from  the  cells, 
and  this  must  be  done  quite  rapidly  and  continuously. 

Hence  while  drying  can  be  done  in  an  oven,  dehydra- 
tion is  impossible  thereby,  for  the  necessary  circula- 
tion and  prompt  removal  of  moisture  cannot  be  ob- 
tained. Consequently  the  stuff  bakes  or  else  cooks  in 
its  own  steam. 

I  have  tested  something  like  twenty  home  dryers, 
but  I  have  found  that  most  of  them  lack  the  necessary 
qualifications  whereby  good  products  can  be  assured. 
As  I  have  stated  already,  in  order  to  dehydrate  prop- 
erly there  must  be  a  certain  amount  of  heat,  a  circula- 
tion of  air  and  a  continuous  means  of  removing  the 
moisture  that  is  Uberated  by  evaporation.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  home  dryers  are  painfully  lacking  in  these 
respects.  Many  of  them  do  not  give  uniform  dehydra- 
tion, even  on  one  tray,  and  taking  the  trays  through- 
out, you  will  find  that  the  product  on  some  of  the 
trays  is  hardly  warmed  through,  while  the  material  on 
the  other  trays  is  over  dried  or  even  scorched. 

When  you  have  a  dryer  with  trays  set  above  each 

48 


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DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND  DATA 

other  and  with  an  open  bottom,  which  is  placed  on  a 
coal  range  or  over  a  gas  or  oil  burner,  the  materials 
on  the  lowest  trays  become  warmed  first,  and  as  the 
moisture  is  liberated  it  rises  and  upon  coming  into 
contact  with  the  cooler  materials  on  the  upper  trays 
the  moisture  condenses  and  precipitates.  Thus  you  are 
working  against  yourself.  Of  course,  this  can  be  ob- 
viated to  a  certain  extent  by  changing  the  trays  from 
time  to  time,  but  this  requires  work  and  attention 
which  are  not  always  convenient.  However,  there  is 
a  home  dryer  which  does  away  with  the  need  of  this 
work  and  fussing.  It  is  a  simple  and  inexpensive  little 
dehydrator  which  you  place  over  the  source  of  heat, 
and  beyond  looking  at  the  thermometer  inside  once  or 
twice  during  the  process  of  drying,  no  more  attention 
is  necessary.  Furthermore,  this  little  dryer  is  equipped 
with  a  deflector  or  radiator  which  distributes  the  heat 
and  so  helps  to  prevent  scorching  or  cooking  when 
placed  over  the  direct  flame  of  a  gas  or  oil  burner. 

Speaking  of  this  particular  little  home  dehydrator, 
one  of  the  greatest  food  authorities  in  the  United  States 
called  at  my  testing  kitchen  and  saw  the  dehydrator 
operating,  and  also  examined  the  splendid  products 
emanating  therefrom.  He  wrote  an  article  for  one  of 
the  leading  New  York  newspapers,  in  which  he  said 
that  "this  little  cheap  device  makes  use  of  a  scientific 
principle  which  is  foolproof  in  its  operation  and  which 
turns  out  the  finest  foods  I  have  ever  seen." 

It  is  always  well  to  have  a  thermometer,  for  then 
you  can  be  assured  that  you  are  employing  the  proper 

49 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

degree  of  heat  as  per  the  temperatures  given  with  the 
approximate  time-tables  in  this  book.  Guessing  at  the 
temperature  is  a  mistake,  for  then  you  can  neither  be 
sure  of  quahty  of  your  product  nor  the  time  to  leave 
it  in  the  dehydrator.  It  is  well  to  be  as  exact  as  possi- 
ble, so  obtain  a  thermometer  with  a  flat  back,  and 
after  putting  the  dehydrator  on  the  range  or  stove 
with  the  heat  on,  place  the  thermometer  on  one  of 
the  lower  trays,  and  see  that  it  registers  the  proper 
degree  of  heat  before  you  put  your  produce  into  the 
dehydrator. 

I  found  it  well  to  have  a  little  moisture  in  the  bottom 
of  the  dehydrator  so  that  the  outer  surfaces  of  the  cut 
materials  will  not  become  glazed  over,  as  they  will  if 
dry  heat  is  immediately  applied.  That  "skin  drying" 
prevents  the  moisture  from  the  interior  of  the  pieces 
getting  out  as  it  should.  Consequently,  when  the 
product  feels  quite  dry  and  you  might  think  it  was 
dehydrated  throughout,  there  is  still  enough  interior 
moisture  to  cause  a  fermentation  and  eventually  form 
a  mold  on  the  surfaces  by  slowly  coming  through. 
I  have  seen  cubed  carrots,  for  example,  which  were 
quite  brittle  and  which  would  snap  in  two,  and  many 
would  judge  that  these  carrots  were  sufficiently  de- 
hydrated, but  upon  peeling  off  the  outer  surfaces  the 
cubes  would  bend  instead  of  snapping,  and  one  could 
promptly  see  that  the  middle  of  the  cubes  had  not 
been  thoroughly  dried. 

In  the  case  of  produce  with  which  it  is  advisable  to 
use  moisture,  I  put  a  shallow  pan  of  boiling  water  in 

50 


Spinach,  before  and  after  drying 


M^ 


m 


String  beans,  1  bushel,  weighing  26  pounds  before  drying;  weight 
after  drying  2.5  pounds 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND  DATA 

the  bottom  of  this  little  home  dehydrator,  which  is 
arranged  for  this  purpose,  and  I  leave  the  water  in  for 
half  an  hour.  This  gives  a  certain  amount  of  humidity 
which  keeps  the  cut  materials  from  becoming  glazed 
over  or  seared,  and  permits  of  their  being  warmed 
throughout,  —  the  pores  all  being  opened,  so  to  speak, 
—  uniform  moisture  liberation  being  assured.  At  the 
end  of  the  half  hour  I  remove  the  pan  of  hot  water  and 
allow  the  dehydration  process  to  take  its  natural  course, 
finishing  with  a  fairly  high  and  dry  heat.  (See  approxi- 
mate time  and  heat  tables.) 

Now  to  mention  blanching  and  cold-dipping  in  con- 
nection with  home  work.  I  have  dealt  with  this  in  my 
previous  chapters  upon  dehydration,  so  in  case  you 
have  not  read  them  I  would  refer  you  to  those  chapters, 
as  blanching  assures  the  maintenance  of  pretty  colors, 
especially  the  green  shades. 

For  blanching  at  home  a  special  steamer  is  not 
necessary.  You  may  do  the  steam  blanching  in  the 
washboiler,  as  directed  later.  After  taking  the  tray 
out  of  the  boiler,  shake  gently  for  a  few  moments  to 
allow  it  to  drain,  then  insert  the  tray  into  the  de- 
hydrator, which  has  previously  been  brought  up  to 
the  starting  temperature  as  given  in  the  time-table. 

Manipulating  the  trays  in  this  way  saves  a  lot  of 
handling  and  possible  breakage  of  the  product,  and 
you  thus  obtain  a  nicer  looking  and  a  better  dehydrated 
product. 

In  the  table,  where  no  blanching  time  is  given,  you 
will  understand  that  it  is  purposely  omitted.    Regard- 

51 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

ing  the  produce  wliich  I  have  found  it  advisable  to 
blanch,  I  mention  a  special  time  in  each  instance. 

Only  a  day  or  two  ago  I  made  another  test  while 
dehydrating  a  quantity  of  Brussels  sprouts.  Half  of 
them  I  blanched  and  set  into  the  dryer  without  cold- 
dipping.  The  rest  I  blanched  and  cold-dipped,  but 
found  that  the  cold-dipped  ones  took  from  20  minutes 
to  a  half  hour  longer  to  dehydrate  than  did  the  ones 
that  were  not  cold-dipped.  The  explanation  for  this 
is  that  the  second  lot,  having  been  cooled  off  by  the 
dipping,  required  a  certain  amount  of  warmth  before 
dehydration  could  proceed,  and,  possibly,  "the  pores 
having  to  be  opened."  It  is  analogous  to  what  we 
experience  in  a  Turkish  bath,  the  pores  being  opened 
in  the  hot  room  and  then  closed  by  a  plunge  into  the 
cold-water  tank.     I  do  not  use  cold-dipping. 

After  removing  your  product  from  the  dehydrator, 
be  sure  to  allow  it  to  cure  or  "condition"  three  days 
and  nights,  stirring  twice  a  day  or  so,  so  as  to  allow 
the  air  to  influence  throughout  and  evenly,  and  then 
pack  away  in  cardboard  boxes,  lard  pails  or  other 
receptacles,  making  sure  that  they  are  covered  tightly 
enough  to  keep  out  insects  of  all  kinds,  but  not  so 
that  they  w^ill  be  absolutely  air-tight.  I  have  seen  de- 
hydrated products  that  were  kept  in  glass  jars,  tightly 
sealed  with  rubbers,  just  as  in  home  canning,  but 
materials  kept  in  that  way  have  a  rather  musty  odor, 
and  do  not  have  as  good  a  flavor  as  foods  kept  in 
packages  which  are  not  air-tight. 

I  wish  that  I  could  give  exact  times  for  dehydrating 

52 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND   DATA 

(as  absolutely  as  I  am  able  to  do  for  home  canning), 
but  this  is  impossible,  since  fruits  and  vegetables  vary 
so  much  according  to  their  freshness  and  whether  they 
are  grown  in  sandy  or  clay  soils,  or  in  wet  or  dry  seasons. 
Moreover,  there  is  the  cutting  to  consider,  as  to  whether 
they  are  cut  into  very  thin  slices,  strips  or  cubes,  or 
into  relatively  thick  pieces.  While  approximate  times 
can  be  given  and  are  given,  the  final  test  is  through  an 
examination  of  the  materials.  When  they  are  leathery 
and  no  moisture  appears  upon  breaking  a  piece  and 
squeezing  the  ends,  then  it  is  safe  to  say  that  dehydra- 
tion is  complete.  The  material  should  not  be  brittle 
as  it  comes  from  the  dehydrator,  although  it  may  be- 
come so  after  a  few  hours  or  days,  which  is  all  right 
then. 

Furthermore,  every  piece  or  strip  will  not  be  dried 
to  exactly  the  same  stage,  but  during  "conditioning" 
and  turning  over  they  average  up,  some  which  are  a 
little  too  dehydrated  perhaps  absorbing  moisture  from 
those  which  have  not  been  quite  sufiiciently  dehy- 
drated, the  latter  giving  out  their  little  surplus  of 
moisture,  so  that  it  may  be  said  to  average  into  proper 
state.  For  this  and  other  reasons  the  "conditioning" 
is  a  very  important  matter  and  should  never  be  neg- 
lected. I  say  this  after  having  tested  products  in 
two  ways,  ^  one  "conditioned"  as  aforesaid,  and  the 
other  being  packed  into  closed  receptacles  directly 
after  taking  the  stuff  out  of  the  dehydrator.  To 
further  assure  myself  on  this  point  I  have  even  put 
the  dehydrated  products  directly  from  the  dehydrator 

53 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

into  tin  cans,  sealing  them  hermetically  forthwith, 
also  into  vacuum  jars;  but  after  restoring  and  cooking, 
my  preference  is  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  air  "condi- 
tioned*' product. 

As  many  raw  materials  reduce,  approximately,  from  a 
pound  to  an  ounce  or  so  through  peeling,  trimming  and 
dehydrating,  it  will  be  readily  seen  what  a  saving  of 
space  is  assured  by  this  process,  and  if  the  packages 
are  stored  m  a  dark,  dry  place,  at  a  moderate  tem- 
perature, and  the  contents  have  been  properly  de- 
hydrated, there  is  little  danger  of  spoilage,  although 
it  is  just  as  well  to  use  up  everything  the  following 
winter.  "Yet  I  have  some  stocks  of  dehydrated  fruits 
and  vegetables  which  have  been  kept  for  three  years 
or  more,  and  are  still  in  perfect  condition. 

A  Time-table 

All  fruits  and  vegetables  should  be  cut  uniformly 
so  that  dehydration  will  be  even  throughout.  They 
should  be  as  fresh  as  possible,  and  all  w^ilted  and 
decayed  portions  should  be  removed. 

The  following  time-table  is  the  one  used  in  a  de- 
hydrating plant  where  very  good  products  are  turned 
out  in  large  quantities  from  a  chamber  tray  system. 
And  here  most  of  the  fruits  and  vegetables  are  sliced 
or  shredded  not  to  exceed  one-eighth  inch  in  thickness. 
Even  these  times  dejjend  somewhat  on  the  condition  of 
the  raw  materials,  and  where  heavier  slices  or  shreds 
are  used  the  drying  times  must  be  increased  accordingly. 

54 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND  DATA 


Steam 
Blanching 
(Minutes) 

Approximate 

Drying  Time 

(Hours) 

Temperature 
(Degrees  F.) 

Vegetables. 

Asparagus, 

3 

4  to  8 

110  to  140 

Beets, 

Brussels  sprouts, 

Until  skins  can 

be  slipped  off 

by  hand 

3 

23^  to  3 
3to3J^ 

110  to  150 
110  to  145 

Cabbage,  .        . 

3 

3 

110  to  145 

Carrots,    . 

3 

2J^  to  3 

110  to  150 

Cauliflower,      . 

3 

3  to  33^ 

110  to  145 

Celery,      . 

3 

3  to  4 

110  to  140 

Garden  peas,    . 

3 

3  to  33^ 

110  to  145 

Green  string  beans, 

3  to  5 

2  to  3 

110  to  145 

Kohl-rabi, 

3 

21^  to  3 

I    110  to  150 

Leeks,       . 

3 

2Hto3 

110  to  140 

Lima  beans. 

3  to  5 

3  to3H 

a  110  to  145 

Okra, 

3 

2  to  3 

I:   110  to  140 

Onions,     , 

- 

2Mto3 

$  no  to  140 

Parsnips,  . 

3 

2Hto3 

110  to  150 

Peppers    . 

- 

2  to  3 

110  to  140 

Pumpkin, 

- 

3  to  4 

110  to  140 

Rhubarb, 

IH 

ItolJ^ 

110  to  130 

Parsley,    . 

- 

ltol3^ 

110  to  130 

Spinach,  . 

- 

1  to  Wi 

105  to  140 

Herbs,       . 

- 

ItoVA 

110  to  145 

Squash,     . 

- 

3  to  4 

110  to  140 

Sweet  corn. 

2  to5 

3  to  4 

110  to  145 

Swiss  chard,      . 

-      ■ 

3  to  4 

110  to  140 

55 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


Steam 
Blanching 

(Minutes). 

Approximate 

Drying  Time 

(Hours). 

Temperature 
(Degrees  F.). 

Vegetables — Con. 

Tomatoes, 

To  loosen  skins 

ItolJ^ 

110  to  140 

Wax  beans, 

3  to  5 

2  to  3 

110  to  145 

Potatoes 

1  to  3 

According  to  age 

125  to  150 

Sweet  potatoes. 

- 

According  to  age 

140  to  160 

Fruits 

Apples,      .... 

- 

4  to  6 

110  to  150 

Apricots,  . 

/ 

- 

4  to  6 

110  to  150 

Berries,  i    . 

- 

4  to  5 

125  to  145 

Cherries,  . 

- 

2  to  4 

110  to  150 

Peaches,    . 

- 

4  to  6 

110  to  150 

Pears, 

- 

4  to  6 

110  to  150 

Plums, 

- 

4  to  6 

110  to  150 

Quinces,    . 

- 

4  to  6 

110  to  150 

1  Except  strawberries. 

The  Proctor  people  sent  me  the  following  data,  as 
the  result  of  experience  with  their  Three  Conveyor 
Dryer,  —  a  traveling  belt  arrangement. 

White  Potatoes 

Potatoes  are  washed,  pared,  washed  and  cut  into  three- 
eighths-inch  strips,  placed  in  boiling  water  for  3  minutes, 
then  in  cold  water  for  5  minutes. 


56 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND   DATA 

Wet  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),      .        .        .        .4.60 

Dry  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds), 92 

Moisture  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .  .  .  .3.60 
Moisture  percentage  removed  (wet  weight  basis),  .  80 
Drying  temperature  (degrees  F.),  .  .  .  .  .  180 
Drying  time  (hours), 4| 


Shredded  Potatoes 

Potatoes  are  washed,  pared,  washed,  steamed  until  thor- 
oughly cooked,  then  shredded. 

Wet  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),      .        .        .        .     1.87 

Dry  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds) , 47 

Moisture  per  square  foot  (pounds) ,  .  .  .  .  1 ,  34 
Moisture  percentage  removed  (wet  weight  basis),  .  74 
Drying  temperature  (degrees  F.),  .....  180 
Drying  time  (hour), | 


Sweet  Potatoes 

Potatoes  are  washed,  pared,  washed  and  cut  into  three- 
sixteenths-inch  strips. 

Wet  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),      .        .        .        .3.90 

Dry  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds), 94 

Moisture  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .        .        .        .2.96 

Moisture  percentage  removed  (wet  weight  basis),         .         78 

Drying  temperature  (degrees  F.), 180 

Drying  time  (hours), 2| 


57 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Spinach 

Spinach  is  washed  and  the  roots  and  cores  removed  so  that 
leaves  will  readily  fall  apart. 

Wet  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .  .  .  .  1.81 
Dry  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .  .  .  .  .11 
Moisture  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .        .        .        .1.70 

Moisture  percentage  removed  (wet  weight  basis),         .         94 

Drying  temperature  (degrees  F.), 180 

Drying  time  (hours), .        .2.5 

String  Beans 

String  beans  are  strung,  washed  and  sliced  lengthwise. 

Wet  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),     .        .        .        .2.50 

Dry  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds), 24 

Moisture  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .        .        .        .2.26 

Moisture  percentage  removed  (wet  weight  basis),         .  90.50 

Drying  temperature  (degrees  F.), 150 

Drying  time  (hours), 4.4 

Onions 

Onions  are  washed,  pared  and  cut  into  three-sixteenths- 
inch  slices. 

Wet  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),      .        .        .        .4.00 

Dry  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds), 36 

Moisture  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .        .        .        .3.65 

Moisture  percentage  removed  (wet  weight  basis),         .         91 
Dry  temperature  (degrees  F.),  .        .        .        .        .        .       150 

Drying  time  (hours),  .        .        .        4        .        .        .       .        0^5 

58 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND  DATA 


Red  Beets 

Red  beets  are  washed,  pared  and  cut  into  three-sixteenths- 
inch  slices. 

Wet  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds),     .        .        .        .3.00 

Dry  weight  per  square  foot  (pounds), 39 

Moisture  per  square  foot  (pounds),  .        .        .        .2.61 

Moisture  percentage  removed  (wet  weight  basis),         .        87 

Drying  temperature  (degrees  F.), 150 

Drying  time  (hours), 5 

Reduction  Table 

According  to  the  table  furnished  by  Professor  Cald- 
well, hundred-pound  lots  of  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables 
reduce  as  follows  upon  dehydration :  — 


Pounds. 

Pounds. 

Apples  (autumn  and  winter 

Okrato        .        .        .        . 

10  to  11 

varieties)  to 

• 

12  to  15 

Onions  to     . 

9  to  11 

Apples  (summer 
to      . 

varieties) 

10  to  12 

Parsnips  to 

20  to  22 

Apricots  to  . 

16  to  18 

Peaches  to  . 

13  to  16 

Blackberries  to 

16  to  20 

Pears  to 

18  to  22 

Beans  to 

11  to  13 

Peas  (garden)  to 

22  to  25 

Beets  to 

14  to  17 

Potatoes  (sweet)  to 

30  to  35 

Cabbage  to 

8  to   9 

Potatoes  (white)  to 

23  to  25 

Carrots  to    . 

10  to  12 

Prunes  to     . 

30  to  33 

Cauliflower  to 

12  to  14 

Pumpkin  to 

6  to   8 

Celery  to      . 

8  to   9 

Raspberries  to     . 

17  to  23 

Cherries  (pie)  to 

17  to  21 

Spinach  to  . 

8  to  10 

Cherries  (sweet)  to      . 

22  to  26 

Squash  to    . 

7  to   9 

Corn  (sweet)  to  . 

26  to  33 

Tomatoes  to 

6^  to   9 

Figs  to         .        .        .        . 

18  to  23 

Turnips  to  . 

7  to   8 

Loganberries  to  . 

17  to  22 

59 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Fish  and  Meats 

Fish  and  meats  should  be  dried  at  relatively  low 
temperatures,  otherwise  coagulation  will  result. 

Fatty  portions  and  connective  tissues  should  be 
removed. 

When  fresh  these  materials  will  dry  quicker  than 
when  previously  frozen.  Moreover,  they  will  restore 
better. 

They  should  be  restored  in  cold  water. 

Codfish  dries  well  in  both  the  commercial  or  home 
dryers,  either  as  steaks  or  in  flakes.  Time,  about  5 
hours,  maximum  temperature,  130°  F.  Dip  fish  in 
weak  brine  solution  for  15  minutes,  dry  without 
rinsing  in  clear  water,  and  dehydrate. 

The  "lean"  fish  dehydrate  well,  but  the  oily  kinds, 
such  as  salmon,  cannot  be  dried  as  easily  or  as  well 
until  one  has  acquired  experience  and  technique. 

Oysters  and  clams  dry  out  well,  temperature  not  to 
exceed  130°  F.  Suitable  for  chowders  or  stews.  These 
products  may  be  restored  in  cold  milk. 

Good  results  are  obtained  by  first  dipping  meat  in 
soya  bean  or  other  oil  of  good  food  value.  After 
dehydration  the  meat  should  be  dipped  into  warm 
water,  130°  F.  or  thereabouts,  in  order  to  rid  it  of 
the  oil.  Then  return  to  dryer  long  enough  to  get  rid 
of  the  surface  moisture. 


60 


7  " 

i     L 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND   DATA 

Notes  and  Data 

The  amount  of  water  vapor  which  can  be  "Ufted" 
by  any  given  volume  of  air  depends  upon  the  tempera- 
ture, doubling  practically  at  each  27  degrees  rise  in 
temperature,  —  having  four  times  the  lifting  capacity 
at  114°  F.  than  it  did  at  60°  F. 

The  following  table  shows  substantially  the  weight 
of  aqueous  vapor  in  100  cubic  feet  of  air  saturated 
therewith,  at  various  temperatures :  — 

Ounces. 

At50°F.,  .        .        .        . 936 

70°  F., 1.826 

90°  F., 3.386 

113°  F., 6.488 

131°  F., 10.350 

The  Three  Temperature  Standards 


Fahrenheit. 

Centigrade. 

Reaumur. 

Falirenheit. 

Centigrade. 

Reaumur. 

100 

37.8 

30.2 

110 

43.3 

34.7 

101 

38.3 

30.7 

111 

43.9 

35.1 

102 

38.9 

31.1 

112 

44.4 

35.6 

103 

39.4 

31.6 

113 

45.0 

36.0 

104 

40.0 

32.0 

114 

45.6 

36.4 

105 

40.6 

32.4 

115 

46.1 

36.9 

106 

41.1 

32.9 

116 

46.7 

37.3 

107 

41.7 

33.3 

117 

47.2 

37.8 

108 

42.2 

33.8 

118 

47.8 

38.2 

109 

42.8 

34.2 

119 

48.3 

38.7 

61 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


The  Three  Temperature 

Standards  ■ 

—  Continued 

Fahrenheit. 

Centigrade. 

Rearunur. 

Fahrenheit. 

Centigrade. 

Reaumur. 

120 

48.9 

39.1 

145 

62.8 

50.2 

121 

49.4 

39.6 

146 

63.3 

50.7 

122 

50.0 

40.0 

147 

63.9 

51.1 

123 

50.6 

40.4 

148 

64.4 

51.6 

124 

51.1 

40.9 

149 

65.0 

52.0 

125 

51.7 

41.3 

150 

65.6 

52.4 

126 

52.2 

41.8 

151 

66.1 

52.9 

127 

52.8 

42.2 

152 

66.7 

53.3 

128 

53.3 

42.7 

153 

67.2 

53.8 

129 

53.9 

43.1 

154 

67.8 

54.2 

130 

54.4 

43.6 

155 

68.3 

54.7 

131 

55.0 

44.0 

156 

68.9 

55.1 

132 

55.6 

44.4 

157 

69.4 

55.6 

133 

56.1 

44.9 

158 

70.0 

56.0 

134 

56.7 

45.3 

159 

70.6 

56.4 

135 

57.2 

45.8 

160 

71.1 

56.9 

136 

57.8 

46.2 

161 

71.7 

57.3 

137 

58.3 

46.7 

162 

72.2 

57.8 

138 

58.9 

47.1 

163 

72.8 

58.2 

139 

59.4 

47.6 

164 

73.3 

58.7 

140 

60.0 

48.0 

165 

73.9 

59.1 

141 

60.6 

48.4 

166 

74.4 

59.6 

142 

61.1 

48.9 

167 

75.0 

60.0 

143 

61.7 

49.3 

168 

75.6 

60.4 

144 

62.2 

49.8 

169 

76.1 

60.9 

DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND   DATA 


The  Three  Temperature 

Standards 

—  Concluded 

Fahrenheit. 

Centigrade. 

Reaumur. 

Fahrenheit. 

Centigrade. 

Reaumur. 

170 

76.7 

ai.3 

186 

85.6 

68.4 

171 

77.2 

61.8 

187 

86.1 

68.9 

172 

77.8 

62.2 

188 

86.7 

69.3 

173 

78.3 

62.7 

189 

87.2 

69.8 

174 

78.9 

63.1 

190 

87.8 

70.2 

175 

79.4 

63.6 

191 

88.3 

70.7 

176 

80.0 

64.0 

192 

88.9 

71.1 

177 

80.6 

64.4 

193 

89.4 

71.6 

178 

81.1 

64.9 

194 

90.0 

72.0 

179 

81.7 

65.3 

195 

90.6 

72.4 

180 

82.2 

65.8 

196 

91.1 

72.9 

181 

82.8 

66.2 

197 

91.7 

73.3 

182 

83.3 

66.7 

198 

92.2 

73.8 

183 

83.9 

67.1 

199 

92.8 

74.2 

184 

84.4 

67.6 

200 

93.3 

74.7 

185 

85.0 

68.0 

Sugar  beets  may  be  dehydrated,  stored  and  the 
sugar  extracted  therefrom  as  and  when  convenient. 

A  good  deal  of  spoiled  product  comes  through  the 
carelessness  or  negligence  of  employees.  It  is  well, 
therefore,  to  have  thermostatic  temperature  regula- 
tion and  other  automatic  devices  wherever  possible. 

Fruits  cut  into  halves  should  be  dried  with  the  cut 
side  up,  or  they  will  lose  valuable  juices. 

63 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

If  okra,  string  beans  and  peas  are  blanched  in  boiling 
water,  a  half  teaspoon  of  soda  to  each  gallon  of  water 
helps  to  set  the  color. 

To  prevent  apple,  pear,  apricot  and  peach  from  dis- 
coloring, drop  the  pieces,  as  cut,  into  cold  water  con- 
taining lemon  juice  or  salt,  —  juice  of  1  lemon  to  3 
quarts  of  water,  or  3  level  tablespoons  of  salt  to  1 
gallon  of  water.    These  fruits  should  not  be  blanched. 

Bell  peppers  may  be  peeled  quickly  by  placing  them 
in  a  pan  and  heating  in  the  oven  until  the  skins  blister, 
whereupon  the  skins  can  be  readily  pulled  off. 

Dehydrated  mashed  potato  may  be  obtained  and 
stocked  by  boiling  potatoes  until  tender,  pressing 
through  a  ricer  on  to  the  trays  and  drying  until  crisp. 

Large  stalks,  as  with  spinach,  should  be  cut  from  the 
leaves,  dried  separately  and  mixed  in  later;  otherwise 
the  leaves  will  become  overdried  while  the  stalks  are 
being  dehydrated. 

Cut  cauliflower  "flowerets"  into  halves  or  slices. 
Dry  separately  from  the  stalks.  The  stalks  make 
good  soup  stock,  but  the  leaf  parts  should  be  removed. 

It  is  well  to  spread  the  trays  with  cheesecloth  when 
treating  bananas  and  the  like.  Acid  fruits  should  not 
come  into  contact  with  the  metal  tray  bottoms,  neither 
should  tomatoes. 

Onion  slices  should  be  cut  across,  otherwise  the  mem- 
branous "onion  skin"  may  prevent  uniform  drying. 

If  large  berries  are  to  be  dried  whole,  they  should  be 
pierced  lengthwise.  A  steel  knitting  needle  will  serve 
the  purpose. 


DEHYDRATING  HINTS  AND  DATA 

Corn  on  the  cob  can  be  dehydrated,  but  the  centre 
of  the  cob  must  be  bored  out.  Corn  dried  in  this 
way  takes  too  long  to  dry  and  to  restore  to  be  prac- 
ticable. 

Changes  of  flavors,  or  rather  addition  of  flavors, 
may  be  produced  by  blowing  in  fine  powders  during 
drying,  —  mint,  for  example;  many  novel  and  appetiz- 
ing effects  are  thus  made  possible. 

When  prunes,  peaches  and  other  fruits  are  dipped 
into  hot  lye  solution,  the  dipping  basket  should  there- 
after be  plunged  into  cold,  fresh  water  so  as  to  wash 
off  the  lye. 

Fruits  must  be  well  ripened  but  not  soft,  and  well 
sorted  and  picked  over.  When  paring  and  slicing  are 
done,  exposure  to  air  is  to  be  avoided.  Rapid,  con- 
tinuous work  and  fresh,  sound  produce  are  necessary 
for  the  best  results. 

As  regards  soup  mixtures,  the  components  must  be 
dried  separately  and  then  mixed  as  desired,  taking 
care  to  use  materials  that  will  all  restore  and  cook 
up  equally  or  nearly  so.  Whole  peas  and  beans  require 
longer  soaking  than  the  usual  soup  vegetables;  conse- 
quently, they  should  be  avoided  in  the  original  com- 
bination, although  they  may  be  added,  if  desired,  after 
longer  and  separate  soaking,  and  then  cooked  in.  A 
popular  combination  is  turnips,  carrots,  onions,  cab- 
bage, celery,  potatoes  and  a  little  parsley,  while  some 
producers  add  leek,  tomato  and  green  pepper.  The 
proportions  or  percentages  vary  considerably. 


65 


CHAPTER  VII 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  DEHYDRATING 
(VEGETABLES) 

To  obtain  the  very  best  dehydrated  products,  see 
that  only  first  quaUty  food  is  used.  Those  that  are 
young  and  tender,  in  other  words,  "in  prime  condi- 
tion," will,  when  soaked,  restore  to  a  first-class  product. 

The  first  step  is  the  cleansing.  Thoroughly  wash 
so  that  no  grit,  dirt  or  sand  is  left.  Then  scrape  or 
pare  to  remove  skins,  with  such  vegetables  as  potatoes, 
carrots,  etc.,  or  shell  to  remove  pods  from  peas,  lima 
beans,  etc. 

The  second  step  is  cutting  the  product  into  the 
desired  shape,  such  as  slicing,  cubing,  dicing  or  shred- 
ding. To  facilitate  the  work  the  drying  tray  should 
stand  under  the  cutting  machine,  so  that  the  cut 
product  drops  directly  onto  the  tray. 

The  third  step  is  blanching.  A  wash  boiler  is  excel- 
lent for  this,  and  will  hold  the  small  trays  of  most 
home  dryers.  Blanching  is  as  important  for  home 
dehydrating  as  it  is  for  home  canning,  and  is  done  for 
practically  the  same  reasons,  namely,  to  kill  certain 
bacteria,  to  improve  the  color  and  to  soften  the  texture 
slightly. 

Blanching  is  best  done  in  steam,  as  there  is  less  loss 
of  mineral  salts  than  when  boiling  water  is  used. 

66 


r' 


Pears,  before  drying,  1  quart.     Note  space  saved  after  drying 


White  squash,  fresh,  17  pounds; 
after  peeling  and  cleaning, 
weight  8  pounds.  Reduced  to 
^  pound  when  dehydrated 


Onions,  before  and  after  drying 


HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

To  steam-blanch,  place  four  tall,  clean  tin  cans  in 
the  boiler,  partly  fill  these  with  boiling  water  to  hold 
them  steady  so  that  the  edges  of  the  tray  will  rest  on 
them,  then  add  boiling  water  to  the  boiler  to  a  depth 
of  3  inches,  and  when  the  water  is  boiling  lower  the 
tray  so  that  it  rests  on  the  cans,  and  cover  boiler 
tightly;  or  else  use  hooks  to  suspend  the  trays. 
Water  should  not  be  so  high  that  it  will  touch  the 
product  when  in  active  motion. 

Have  a  clock  in  sight  when  blanching  and  remove 
the  product  when  the  time  is  reached. 

The  fourth  step  is  to  place  the  tray  of  blanched 
material  into  the  dryer,  which  should  have  been  heated 
to  the  required  temperature;  and  let  me  caution  you 
that  there  must  be  no  "guesswork"  as  to  this  tem- 
perature. A  small  and  inexpensive  thermometer  is 
necessary.  Place  this  in  the  dryer,  and  when  the 
correct  temperature  is  reached  and  the  fire  so  regu- 
lated that  the  desired  temperature  is  maintained, 
place  the  material  in  the  dryer.  The  regulating  of  the 
temperature  should  be  started  sufficiently  early,  so 
that  there  may  be  no  delay  after  the  blanching  is 
done. 

The  fifth  step  in  home  dehydrating  is  called  "condi- 
tioning." After  your  product  has  reached  its  dried 
stage  it  is  then  placed  in  a  rack  or  pan  and  set  in  a 
cool,  dry  place  for  three  days.  During  this  period  the 
dried  product  is  poured  into  another  container  once 
or  twice  each  day.  This  mixes  it  and  allows  all  parts 
to  dry  evenly.     If  there  are  no  screens  on  doors  and 

67 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

windows,  be  sure  to  place  a  piece  of  clean  cheesecloth 
over  the  product  during  the  "conditioning"  period. 
This  prevents  any  insects  from  alighting  on  the  food 
and  depositing  their  eggs.  If  this  should  happen,  then 
look  out  for  worms  and  trouble. 

The  sixth  and  last  step  is  storing.  Home-dried 
foods  can  be  stored  in  clean  boxes,  heavy  paper  bags, 
cartons  that  can  be  sealed  against  insects,  paraffined 
containers,  cans,  etc.  After  packing  the  foods  keep 
them  in  a  cool,  dry  closet  or  room. 

When  is  the  Product  Dry? 

The  best  test  I  find  is  to  break  or  cut  a  piece  in  two, 
and  press  the  cut  edge  between  the  fingers.  If  no 
moisture  is  noticeable  it  is  sufficiently  dry. 

Length  of  Time  for  Drying 

This  can  be  given  only  approximately,  as  varieties 
of  the  same  product  differ  in  their  drying  time. 

Again,  the  age  of  the  product  has  a  great  deal  to  do 
as  regards  the  time  required;  also  how  thick  the  slices 
are  cut.  The  larger  the  surface  that  is  exposed  to  the 
heat,  naturally  the  less  time  is  required  for  evapora- 
tion of  the  moisture.  Likewise  some  home  dryers  may 
take  longer  than  others.  In  my  kitchen  we  have 
noticed  a  difference  of  nearly  an  hour  when  using  the 
same  product  on  different  kinds  of  home  dryers,  to  say 
nothing  of  quality  of  finished  product. 

I   would   advise  that  you  keep  a  careful  record  of 

68 


HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

your  drying  time  and  use  this  as  a  guide  for  your  next 
summer's  work. 

In  all  home  drying  the  temperature  must  be  raised 
very  gradually.  The  degree  of  heat  first  mentioned 
should  be  maintained  for  about  a  quarter  of  the  whole 
drying  time.  With  few  exceptions,  such  as  herbs 
and  leaf  products,  the  drying  time  is  usually  of  several 
hours'  duration.  From  this  you  can  see  that  the 
product  is  kept  for  some  time  at  the  opening  or  start- 
ing temperature,  and  then  the  heat  increased  10 
degrees  for  another  period,  and  so  on  until  the  finish- 
ing heat  is  reached.  A  very  little  experimenting  with 
one  product  will  give  you  an  idea  as  to  how  the  heat 
affects  it. 

Beets 

Select  beets  that  are  young.  Leave  all  the  root  and 
3  inches  of  the  top  on  the  beet.  Wash  carefully  and 
place  in  boiling  water,  leaving  in  the  water  until  the 
skin  can  be  slipped  off  with  the  hands.  This  can  be 
determined  by  trying  a  single  beet.  Dip  beets  in  cold 
water  a  minute,  drain  and  remove  skins.  At  same 
time  cut  away  any  blemish.  Slice  vegetable  one- 
eighth  inch  in  thickness  onto  the  trays,  and  place 
each  tray  in  the  dryer  as  soon  as  prepared. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3  to  4  hours. 


69 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Beets  are  sufficiently  dry  when  there  can  be  no 
moisture  pressed  from  them.  The  length  of  time 
depends  upon  the  age  of  the  vegetable.  A  young 
beet  without  a  woody  center  will  dry  quicker  than  an 
old  one. 

"  Condition  "  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Beet  Greens 

Prepare  and  dry  as  directed  for  Spinach.  (See 
page  82.) 

Brussels  Sprouts 

Look  over  vegetable,  remove  all  decayed  or  wilted 
leaves.  Wash  in  cold  water,  drain,  cut  in  halves  length- 
wise and  place  on  trays.  Blanch  in  steam  as  directed 
on  page  67  for  3  minutes,  counting  time  from  moment 
cover  is  placed  on  boiler.  Remove  tray,  shake  to  drain 
and  place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3  to  4  hours. 

The  sprouts  are  sufficiently  dried  when  no  moisture 
can  be  pressed  from  a  cut  end.  The  light  leaves  in 
center  of  vegetable  may  discolor  during  drying,  but 
will  restore  to  their  natural  color. 

''Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 


70 


HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 


Beans 

Select  stringless  variety,  remove  stems  and  tips. 
Wash  in  cold  water,  drain  and  cut  lengthwise  into  even 
sizes.  Place  on  trays  about  1  inch  deep,  and  blanch 
in  steam  from  3  to  5  minutes.  Remove  tray,  shake  to 
drain  and  place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3  to  4  hours. 

Beans  are  sufficiently  dried  when  no  moisture  can 
be  pressed  out. 

"Condition,"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Lima  beans  are  shelled,  placed  on  trays  and  blanched 
from  3  to  5  minutes,  depending  upon  age  of  the  prod- 
uct.   Remove  tray,  shake  to  dry  and  place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3^  to  4|  hours. 

Drying  test  is  the  same  as  for  stringless  beans. 

"Condition,*'  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Wax  beans  are  treated  the  same  as  stringless  beans. 

Cabbage 

Remove  outside  wilted  and  decayed  leaves  and  cut 
away  the  stalks.  Slice  cabbage,  from  one-eighth  to 
one-fourth    inch    thick,    directly    onto    the    trays   so 

71 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

the  product  lies  about  1  inch  in  thickness  on  the  trays. 
Blanch  in  steam  3  minutes,  shake  to  remove  water 
and  place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  135°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3|  to  4  hours. 

Cabbage  is  sufficiently  dry  when  no  moisture  can  be 
pressed  from  stalk  portions.  Do  not  increase  tempera- 
ture too  rapidly  or  the  leaves  will  not  retain  their  light 
color. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Carrots 

Select  young,  tender  carrots.  Wash  with  brush  in 
water,  scrape  and  wash  again.  Cut  crosswise  into 
one-eighth  inch  thick  slices,  or  lengthwise  into  shces. 
Pile  slices  one  on  another  and  return  them  to  slicing 
machine  for  cutting  into  Julienne  strips.  Place  cut 
carrots  on  trays  and  steam-blanch  for  3  minutes,  re- 
move trays,  shake  to  drain  and  place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  2§  to  4  hours. 

If  a  piece  of  carrot  is  broken  and  no  moisture  can  be 
pressed  out,  the  product  is  ready  to  come  from  dryer. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

The  Julienne  strips  will  dry  somewhat  quicker  than 
the  slices.     Carrots  may  also  be  cut  into  one-fourth 

72 


HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

inch  cubes.  If  one  vegetable  is  cut  into  different 
shapes,  each  should  be  dried  on  separate  trays  to  give 
a  uniform  product. 

Cauliflower 

Select  large,  firm,  white  heads  and  immerse  flower 
side  down  for  1  hour  in  a  bowl  of  cold  salted  water  to 
draw  out  any  insects.  Then  rinse  and  drain.  Separate 
the  head  into  flowerets,  cutting  off  the  large  stems. 
Every  part  should  be  cut  into  slices  one-eighth  inch 
thick.  Place  prepared  vegetable  on  trays,  about  an 
inch  thick,  and  steam-blanch  for  3  minutes.  Remove 
from  steam,  shake  a  moment  and  place  in  dryer.  The 
flowerets  should  be  cut  lengthwise. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  4  to  6  hours. 

Cauliflower  is  sujQficiently  dried  when  no  moisture 
can  be  pressed  from  stem  of  flowers. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Instead  of  separating  the  cauliflower  into  its  flowers, 
it  can  be  cut  into  slices  one-eighth  inch  thick.  It  is 
very  interesting  to  see  how  the  small  wisp  of  dehydrated 
cauliflower  rehydrates  into  its  natural  colored  and  sized 
floweret.  Indeed,  while  this  vegetable  may  darken 
considerably  during  the  drying  it  restores  beautifully. 
All  leaves  should  be  removed  from  the  stems  before 
drying. 


73 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Celery 

Select  crisp,  tender  stalks.  The  white  bleached 
celery  becomes  somewhat  dark  in  drying,  whereas  the 
green  seems  to  hold  its  color  better.  Separate  leaves 
from  stalks  and  dry  each  separately.  Directions  for 
drying  celery  leaves  will  be  given  under  Spinach,  on 
page  82.  Cut  away  all  discolored  parts  and  cut  cross- 
wise into  half -inch  length  pieces.  Place  on  trays  an 
inch  deep  and  steam-blanch  for  3  minutes.  Remove 
trays,  shake  to  dry  and  place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3  to  4  hours. 

Celery  is  sufficiently  dried  if  no  moisture  is  apparent 
when  pieces  are  pressed  between  fingers. 
"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Corn 

The  sweetest  dehydrated  product  will  be  obtained 
from  corn  in  the  "milk"  stage;  that  is,  when  a  kernel 
of  corn  is  pressed  and  the  milk  flows.  Beyond  this  is 
the  "dough"  stage.  Husk,  place  on  trays  and  steam- 
blanch  corn  on  the  cob  long  enough  to  set  the  milk, 
—  about  5  minutes.  Drain  and  cut  corn  from  the  cob, 
cutting  kernels  about  half  through  for  one  tray;  then, 
using  back  of  the  knife,  scrape  the  cobs  (on  another 
tray)  to  obtain  the  pulp.    Treated  in  this  way  there  is 

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HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

little  danger  of  including  the  chaff  from  the  cob.    Place 
directly  into  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time  about  3  to  4  hours. 

When  corn  is  hard  it  is  ready  to  come  from  the  dryer. 
"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 


Kohl-rabi 

Use  only  such  vegetables  as  are  free  from  fibrous 
centers.  Wash  and  peel  thinly,  cut  into  slices  one- 
eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  place  on  tray  and  steam- 
blanch  for  3  minutes.  Remove  trays,  shake  a  moment 
to  drain  and  set  tray  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3  hours. 

Kohl-rabi  is  properly  dried  when  no  moisture  can  be 
pressed  from  a  cut  end. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 


Okra 

The  very  small  pods  may  be  dried  whole,  the  larger 
pods  being  cut  into  slices  one-fourth  of  an  inch  thick. 
Wash  pods,  cut  or  leave  whole,  place  in  single  layer  on 

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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

tray  and  steam-blanch  for  3  minutes.     Remove  tray, 
shake  well  to  drain  and  place  in  the  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  135°  F. 
Approximate  time,  when  cut,  about  3  hours. 

Product  is  sufficiently  dried  when  no  moisture  can 
be  pressed  from  the  ends.  When  the  pod  is  dried 
whole,  break  and  press  to  determine  if  dried. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Onions 

Use  vegetable  of  one  color  to  give  best  dried  product. 
Peel  and  cut  across  the  onion  into  slices  one-eighth 
inch  thick.  It  is  not  necessary  to  steam-blanch  onions, 
but  place  each  tray  into  the  dryer  as  soon  as  it  is 
ready.  Product  should  not  be  too  thick  on  the  trays 
to  be  evenly  dried. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3  to  4  hours. 

Onions  are  dried  enough  when  no  moisture  can  be 
pressed  from  a  cut  end. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

During  drying  this  vegetable  is  apt  to  discolor,  but 
rehydrates  to  a  good  color. 


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HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

Parsley  and  Other  Herbs 

Wash  to  remove  all  dust,  cut  away  any  wilted  or 
decayed  parts,  and  dry  without  separating  leaves  and 
stems.  Place  on  tray  to  a  depth  of  2  or  3  inches  and 
set  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  time,  45  minutes  to  1|  hours. 

If  no  moisture  can  be  pressed  from  thick  part  of 
stems  the  product  is  sufficiently  dried. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

If  desired,  before  packing,  part  of  the  product  can 
be  powdered  and  stored  in  glass  jars. 

Parsnips 

This  is  one  of  the  vegetables  that  should  not  be  used 
if  old,  as  it  develops  a  woody,  fibrous  center.  Wash, 
scrape  and  wash  again,  cut  into  slices  one-eighth  inch 
thick  and  place  on  tray.  Blanch  in  steam  for  3  min- 
utes, remove  tray  and  shake  to  drain.  Then  place  in 
th^  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3  to  4  hours. 

Parsnips  are  sufficiently  dry  when  no  moisture  can 
be  pressed  from  a  cut  edge. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


Peas 

Select  young  and  strictly  fresh-picked  peas,  and  on 
no  account  use  any  that  have  stood  until  pods  are 
wilted.  A  quick  way  to  shell  the  peas  is  to  place  the 
washed  pods  in  a  large  saucepan  of  boiling  water  and 
leave  for  6  minutes.  Then  drain  on  to  the  tray  and 
rub  the  pods  briskly  over  the  tray  with  the  hands  to 
loosen  the  peas,  and  if  the  mesh  is  too  fine  for  them  to 
drop  through,  it  is  a  simple  matter  to  shake  the  peas 
to  one  end  and  empty  them  on  to  another  tray.  When 
one  tray  is  loaded  to  a  depth  of  about  1  inch,  steam- 
blanch  for  2  minutes,  remove  tray,  shake  to  drain  and 
set  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3|  to  4|  hours. 

To  test  when  dry  cut  open,  and  if  no  moisture  shows 
in  center  remove  from  dryer. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 


Peppers 

The  small  pods  may  be  dried  whole  like  okra  pods. 
Larger  peppers  should  be  placed  on  plates  in  the  oven 
until  the  skins  blister,  then  peel  with  the  fingers.  Cut 
large  peppers  into  strips  one-eighth  of  an  inch  wide, 
discarding  all   seeds,  or  they  may  be  cut  in    halves, 

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HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

in  which  event  remove  the  midribs.    Place  on  trays  and 
dry  without  blanching. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 

Finishiiig  temperature,  140°  F. 

Approximate  time,  about  3  hours  or  longer,  dependmg 

upon  how  the  product  is  prepared,  —  whether  cut  small 

or  left  whole. 

The  whole  and  cut  peppers  are  suflficiently  dried 
when  no  moisture  can  be  pressed  from  a  cut  edge. 
"Condition'*  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Potatoes 

White  Potato 

If  a  peeling  machine  is  used,  there  will  be  less  waste 
if  potatoes  of  uniform  size  are  used.  While  washing  the 
vegetable,  grade  for  size.  Peel  vegetable  thinly  and 
drop  immediately  into  cold  water  to  keep  it  white. 
When  suflScient  have  been  peeled  to  fill  one  tray,  the 
potatoes  should  be  sliced  one-fourth  of  an  inch  thick 
directly  onto  the  tray.  Each  tray  can  be  loaded  1  inch 
deep.  Place  the  filled  tray  in  the  steam  container  and 
blanch  for  3  minutes;  remove  from  steam,  dip  the  tray 
into  salted  tepid  water  for  a  minute,  drain  by  shaking 
and  place  in  the  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  120°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  160°  F. 
Approximate  time  (according  to  age). 

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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Potatoes  are  dried  until  they  are  brittle. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

If  a  variety  is  desired,  cut  some  of  the  sliced  potatoes 
into  Julienne  strips  or  larger  strips  (five-eighths  of  an 
inch  thick),  like  French  fried.  Again,  these  vegetables 
can  be  steamed  until  cooked  in  their  jackets,  then  the 
skins  peeled  off  with  the  fingers  and  the  cooked  potatoes 
pressed  through  a  ricer  directly  onto  the  trays.  If 
you  have  no  ricer  put  them  through  your  food  chopper, 
loading  each  tray  direct  from  the  chopper.  Spread 
evenly  on  the  tray  and  place  in  the  dryer.  When 
dried  mark  the  container  holding  this  product  "De- 
hydrated Mashed  Potato."  Directions  for  using  this 
are  found  on  page  153,  in  last  part  of  recipe  for  Mashed 
Potatoes. 

Sweet  Potato 

Select  potatoes  of  uniform  size  and  wash  well  with  a 
brush.  Place  in  a  saucepan  with  boiling  water  and 
boil  until  slightly  tender.  Drain  and  peel  at  once  by 
scraping  the  skins.  Sweet  potatoes  can  also  be  pared 
in  a  peeling  machine.  Cut  the  precooked  potato  into 
one-eighth  inch  thick  slices  directly  onto  the  tray, 
loading  it  to  a  depth  of  1  inch,  then  set  tray  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  125°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  155°  F. 
Approximate  time  (according  to  age). 

The  test  for  sweet  potatoes  is  the  same  as  for  white 
ones. 

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HOME  DEHYDRATING,   VEGETABLES 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Prepare  some  of  the  sweet  potatoes  by  cooking  in 
boiling  water  until  nearly  done,  then  remove  skins  and 
put  through  food  chopper.  Load  tray  evenly  and  place 
in  dryer,  using  same  temperature  as  above.  When 
product  is  brittle  it  is  dried.  This  is  a  "Dehydrated 
Mashed  Sweet  Potato,"  and  is  your  sweet  potato  flour 
when  ground.    (See  Sweet  Potato  Pie,  on  page  193.) 

Pumpkin 

Select  a  firm,  deep-colored  pumpkin  and  cut  into 
strips  2  or  3  inches  wide.  Peel,  remove  seeds  and 
soft,  stringy  centers,  then  cut  into  slices  one-eighth 
of  an  inch  thick.  Place  prepared  pumpkin  on  trays  to 
a  depth  of  an  inch,  and  place  directly  into  the  dryer 
without  blanching. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3^  to  4  hours. 

Pumpkin  is  suflficiently  dried  when  no  moisture  can 
be  pressed  from  a  cut  edge. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Rhubarb 

The  firm,  prime  stalks  give  best  results.  When 
very  young  do  not  skin,  but  if  the  rhubarb  is  old,  then 
peel.  Cut  into  pieces  about  a  half  inch  long,  cover  the 
trays  with  one  thickness  of  clean  cheesecloth,  then 

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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

load  trays  with  rhubarb  an  inch  thick  and  steam-blanch 
for  Ij  minutes.  Remove  from  steam,  shake  to  drain 
and  place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time  (according  to  age).. 

Cut  a  piece  of  dried  rhubarb  and  press  cut  edge.    If 
no  moisture  shows,  it  is  suflSciently  dried. 
"Condition*'  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Spinach  and  Similar  Produce 

Look  over  the  vegetable  very  carefully,  removing  all 
wilted,  decayed  leaves  and  foreign  matter,  and  cutting 
off  the  roots.  Have  a  dishpan  filled  with  water  as 
hot  as  for  dish  washing,  put  in  the  spinach  and  wash 
carefully.  Lift  out  spinach,  pour  off  water,  rinse  pan 
and  return  spinach.  Add  more  hot  water  and  rinse 
thoroughly,  then  lift  out  the  vegetable  and  place  on 
trays.  While  loading  the  trays  cut  off  the  stems  and 
dry  them  on  a  separate  tray.  Load  tray  to  a  depth 
of  several  inches,  shake  to  drain  the  product,  then 
place  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  130°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  1^  to  2|  hours. 

Spinach  is  dry  when  the  thick  part  can  be  pressed 
without  showing  moisture,  but  be  careful  not  to  over- 
dry  or  the  product  breaks. 

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HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

The  stems  of  spinach  are  dried  separately  from  the 
leaves,  as  they  usually  require  longer  time,  and  if  they 
were  left  on,  the  leaves  would  probably  be  dried  to  a 
powder  stage  when  the  stems  were  ready.  After  drying 
and  "conditioning"  the  leaves  and  stems  separately 
they  may  be  mixed  and  then  packed.  The  spinach  can 
also  be  cut  into  slices  one-eighth  inch  thick.  This  will 
materially  hasten  the  drying,  reducing  the  time  to 
about  1  hour.  Celery  leaves,  Swiss  chard  and  beet 
tops  are  treated  the  same  as  spinach.  The  heavy 
midrib  of  the  chard  is  cut  out  and  dried  separately  from 
the  leaf. 

Squash 

I  prefer  a  late  squash  to  the  summer  variety.  Cut 
into  strips  2  inches  wide,  peel  and  remove  soft  centers 
and  seeds.  Cut  into  slices  one-eighth  inch  thick. 
Place  on  trays  and  insert  in  the  dryer  without  blanching. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  3|  hours. 

Drying  is  finished  when  no  moisture  can  be  pressed 
from  a  cut  piece. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Tomatoes 

Select  firm,  sound  tomatoes  that  are  ripe.  Remove 
skins  by  placing  in  a  wire  basket  and  scalding  in  boiling 

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DEHYDRATING^  FOODS 

water  for  from  1  to  Ij  minutes,  or  until  skins  crack. 
When  cool  enough  to  handle  pull  off  the  skin  and  cut 
out  core;  also  remove  any  blemishes.  Cut  crosswise 
into  slices  one-fourth  of  an  inch  thick.  Cover  trays 
with  a  piece  of  clean  cheesecloth,  then  place  slices  in  a 
single  layer  and  insert  trays  in  the  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  140°  F. 
Approximate  time,  about  2  to  3  hours. 

When  tomatoes  are  sufficiently  dried  no  moisture 
can  be  pressed  from  fleshy  part  of  the  slice. 
"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Soup  Mixtures 

These  consist  of  different  kinds  of  dehydrated  vege- 
tables rather  finely  cut  and  mixed  in  varying  propor- 
tions according  to  the  flavors  desired.  A  good  way  to 
do  is  to  use  proportions  as  given  in  your  favorite  recipe. 

The  vegetables  usually  combined  in  these  mixtures 
are  onions,  carrots,  turnips,  cabbage,  celery,  parsley, 
potatoes  and  green  pepper.    Dry  separately. 

For  a  vegetable  soup  the  vegetables  look  daintier  if 
cut  in  different  shapes.  For  instance,  potatoes  and 
turnips  can  be  cubed,  carrots  and  peppers  in  Julienne 
strips,  celery  and  onions  sliced,  cabbage  shredded  and 
parsley  powdered. 

Try  the  following  combinations,  or  arrange  your  own 
proportions :  — 

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HOME  DEHYDRATING,  VEGETABLES 

Soup  Mixture  No.  1 

^  Cup  dehydrated  carrot  strips. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  cabbage. 

1  Cup  dehydrated  onion. 

^  Cup  dehydrated  turnips. 

2  Tablespoons  dehydrated  green  pepper. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  parsley,  powdered. 

Mix  thoroughly  and  store.  When  using,  take  one- 
half  cup  of  the  soup  mixture  to  2  quarts  of  liquid. 

Soup  Mixture  No.  2 

2  Cups  dehydrated  tomato. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  onion. 

^  Cup  dehydrated  carrot. 

1  Cup  dehydrated  cabbage. 

J  Cup  dehydrated  green  pepper. 
^  Cup  dehydrated  celery  leaves. 

2  Tablespoons  dehydrated  parsley,  powdered. 

Mix  thoroughly  before  packing.  This  gives  5  cups 
of  dehydrated  vegetables,  which  is  sufficient  to  flavor 
from  20  to  24  quarts  of  liquid.  From  this  you  can 
readily  see  how  far  the  soup  mixture  goes.  It  is  in  a 
most  convenient  form,  and  is  a  decided  addition  to 
many  dishes,  especially  those  of  the  pot-roast  style. 
Have  all  soup  vegetables  finely  cut,  as  this  gives  best 
flavoring. 


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CHAPTER  VIII 

VEGETABLE  FLOURS  AND  MEALS 

Under  this  heading  may  be  found  — 

Pea  meal  or  flour. 
Bean  meal  or  flour. 
White  potato  meal  or  flour. 
Sweet  potato  meal  or  flour. 
Pumpkin  meal  or  flour. 
Squash  meal  or  flour. 
Tomato  meal  or  flour. 
Corn  meal  or  flour. 
Spinach  meal  or  flour. 

Potato  Flours 

A  very  excellent  grade  of  home-made  potato  flour  is 
prepared  as  follows :  — 

Make  sure  that  both  the  sweet  and  white  potatoes 
are  dehydrated  until  they  are  brittle.  After  "con- 
ditioning" run  these  products  separately  through  your 
food  chopper,  using  a  medium-coarse  knife,  then  change 
to  the  finest  knife  and  run  it  through  twice.  This 
produces  a  fine  product.  Shake  through  several  sifters, 
starting  with  the  coarser  mesh  and  finishing  with  a 
fine  one.  Your  finely  sifted  home-made  potato  flour 
is  ready  to  be  made  up  into  various  recipes,  such  as 
combining  with  corn  meal  or  wheat  flour  into  muffins. 


VEGETABLE  FLOURS  AND  MEALS 

biscuits,  griddle  cakes,  waffles  or  breads,  and  even  into 
a  good  pastry  if  used  in  proportion  of  about  one-eighth 
potato  flour  to  balance  of  wheat  flour. 

The  first  sifting  of  the  flour  was  coarse,  and  this  can 
be  kept  to  use  in  potato  croquettes,  soups  or  for  thick- 
ening sauces,  etc. 

The  sweet  potato  flour  is  all  ready  to  have  the 
custard  addition,  then  turned  into  a  pastry  lined  pie 
tin  as  a  Sweet  Potato  Pie;   see  page  193. 

Pumpkin  Flour 

This  is  prepared  by  drying  the  pumpkin  until  it  is 
brittle,  then  "conditioning,"  putting  through  the  food 
chopper,  and  sifting  as  is  done  with  potato  flour.  When 
so  prepared  it  is  no  trouble  to  make  pumpkin  pie, 
timbales  or  any  other  dish  in  which  mashed  pumpkin 
is  the  foundation.  In  fact,  with  a  supply  of  dehydrated 
vegetables  made  into  flour  or  meal  in  your  kitchen 
pantry  it  is  far  easier  to  make  many  dishes  than  when 
one  must  start  with  the  preparation  of  the  raw  vegeta- 
ble. 

These  two  recipes  are  given  simply  as  a  guide  to 
direct  you  so  that  you  can  make  any  one  or  all  of  the 
meals  in  the  list.  The  main  point  to  remember  is  that 
any  dehydrated  vegetable  that  is  to  be  ground  up  into 
meal  must  first  be  dried  until  it  is  brittle,  or  it  cannot 
be  put  through  either  your  food  chopper  or  your  hand- 
flour  mill  and  give  a  satisfactory  product. 


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CHAPTER  IX 

HOME  DEHYDRATING 
(FRUITS) 

Both  the  large  and  small  fruits  can  and  should  be 
dehydrated.  Many  of  the  directions  given  for  vegeta- 
bles are  applicable  to  fruits. 

Only  firm,  ripe  fruits  should  be  used  if  their  original 
shape  and  color  are  to  be  retained  in  both  the  dried 
form  and  when  rehydrated. 

Naturally,  after  the  fruit  has  been  cooked,  it  will  be 
changed  in  shape,  and  frequently  the  color  will  be 
somewhat  different,  in  many  cases  this  being  accentu- 
ated after  the  addition  of  the  sugar. 

To  wash  the  tender  small  fruits  such  as  berries, 
place  them  in  a  shallow  flat  strainer  and  hold  them 
under  the  cold-water  faucet.  Let  the  water  run  gently 
on  them.  This  can  readily  be  done  if  the  hand  is  held 
under  the  faucet  so  that  the  water  first  strikes  the 
hand,  and  then  trickles  off  on  to  the  fruits.  Be  careful 
that  the  berries  are  not  crushed  or  broken,  as  that 
means  a  loss  of  juice,  which  naturally  would  impair 
both  color  and  flavor. 

After  washing,  the  berries  are  drained  and  gently 
rolled  out  of  the  strainer  on  to  the  trays,  which  should 
be  covered  with  a  thickness  of  clean  cheesecloth.  This 
is  done  to  prevent  the  fruit  from  coming  in  contact  with 
the  metal  trays,  as  the  acid  would  cause  chemical  action. 

While  the  berries  are  being  placed  on  the  trays  any 

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HOME  DEHYDRATING,   FRUITS 

wilted,  unripe  ones  can  be  removed;  also  leaves  or  any- 
foreign  matter. 

Fruit  should  be  promptly  placed  in  the  dryer  after  its 
preparation.  Be  very  careful  not  to  load  the  trays 
more  than  two  layers  deep.  Berries  are  very  tender 
fruit,  and  if  loaded  deeper  they  will  be  crushed  out  of 
shape.  During  drying  examine  the  trays,  and  if  fruits 
are  lumping  and  sticking  together,  separate  carefully 
so  that  the  drying  is  done  evenly. 

The  test  for  drying  is  by  pressing  a  cut  edge,  and  if  no 
moisture  exudes  the  product  is  sufficiently  dried. 

After  drying  the  "conditioning"  period  must  be 
observed,  as  with  vegetables.  When  this  is  finished 
the  fruits  are  stored  in  similar  containers,  and  should 
preferably  be  kept  in  the  dark  so  that  they  will  not  be 
faded  by  the  light. 

Apples 

Select  firm,  sound  fruit.  Remove  cores  with  a  coring 
machine  or  knife,  if  apple  is  to  be  cut  into  rings,  and 
pare  quickly.  As  soon  as  peeled  cut  into  slices  one- 
fourth  inch  thick  and  place  on  trays  about  1  inch 
thick.  As  soon  as  a  tray  is  ready  it  should  go  immedi- 
ately into  the  dryer  and  other  trays  loaded  as  quickly 
as  the  apples  are  pared.  The  quicker  this  is  done  the 
better  the  product,  as  there  will  be  less  danger  of  oxidiz- 
ing or  discoloration. 

Starting  temperature,  120°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  160°  F. 
Approximate  time  for  drying,  5  to  6  hours. 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Length  of  time  depends  upon  the  kind  of  apple,  as 
well  as  thickness  of  slices.  Apples  are  sufficiently  dried 
when  a  cut  edge  is  pressed  and  no  moisture  is  noticed. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Apricots 

Use  firm  fruit,  but  well-ripened.  Reject  all  soft 
apricots  and  cut  away  any  bruises.  Cut  in  halves 
without  peeling,  remove  stone  and  lay  in  single  layer 
on  trays  with  cut  side  up.  As  soon  as  loaded  place 
trays  in  the  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  120°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  150°  F. 
Approximate  time  for  drying,  5  to  7  hours. 

Apricots  are  dried  when  no  moisture  can  be  pressed 
from  a  cut  edge. 

"Condition  "  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Bananas 

Select  firm,  ripe,  yellow  bananas.  Remove  skins 
and  cut  lengthwise  into  quarters,  or  crosswise  into 
slices  one-eighth  inch  thick.  Place  in  single  layer  on 
trays,  dust  very  lightly  with  powdered  sugar,  shaking  off 
all  surplus,  and  set  trays  in  the  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  135°  F. 

Do  not  have  heat  any  higher  or  the  fruit  will  soften. 
"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

90 


HOME  DEHYDRATING,  FRUITS 

Blackberries 

Select  such  fruit  as  you  would  for  table  use.  Look 
over,  rejecting  decayed  and  Tsdlted  berries,  and  wash  if 
necessaI^^  This  can  be  done  as  follows:  place  berries 
in  a  shallow  wire  basket,  hold  the  hand  under  cold 
water  faucet,  and  let  water  trickle  on  fruit  through  the 
fingers.  Drain  and  place  berries  in  single  layers  on 
trays  lined  with  one  thickness  of  cheesecloth.  As 
quickly  as  loaded  set  trays  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  120°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  150°  F. 
Approximate  time  for  drying,  5  to  7  hours. 

Berries  are  dried  when  no  moisture  can  be  pressed 
when  berries  are  cut. 

'* Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Cherries 

Perfectly  sound  fruit  should  be  selected  and  all  of  one 
color  kept  together.  Look  over  before  pitting,  remov- 
ing all  decayed  and  crushed  cherries.  Both  the  sweet 
and  sour  cherries  may  be  dried.  There  is  less  loss  of 
juice  if  fruit  is  dried  whole,  with  pit  left  in.  \Miere 
cherries  are  large  they  may  be  pitted  with  a  machine, 
the  juice  saved  and  sterilized.  Some  cut  the  fruit  in 
halves.  If  this  method  is  followed  the  cut  side  should 
be  placed  uppermost  on  the  dryer  to  prevent  further 
loss  of  juice.    x\s  soon  as  prepared  load  cheesecloth 

91 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

covered  trays  two  layers  deep  and  place  at  once  in  the 
dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  115°  F. 

Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 

Approximate  drying  time  for  cut  fruit,  4  to  5  hours. 

Cherries  are  dry  if  no  moisture  shows  when  a  cut 
edge  is  pressed. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Cranberries 

If  this  fruit  is  dehydrated  it  is  available  at  any  time 
of  the  year.  Examine  and  remove  all  decayed  and 
broken-down  fruits;  likewise  unripe  berries.  Cut  in 
halves  and  place  on  cheesecloth-covered  trays  to  a 
depth  of  a  half  inch,  and  set  in  dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  120°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 
Approximate  drying  time,  2  to  3^  hours. 

Berries  are  dry  when  no  moisture  can  be  pressed  from 
a  cut  edge. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

After  product  is  dried  stems  can  be  readily  removed. 

Currants 

The  cherry  currant  gives  the  better  dried  product. 
Remove  soft  and  decayed  fruit,  but  do  not  stem,  as 
this   can   be   done   after   drying.      Load   cheesecloth- 

92 


HOME  DEHYDRATING,  FRUITS 

covered    trays    to   a    depth    of    an  inch  and  place  in 
dryer. 

Starting  temperature,  120°  F. 

Finishing  temperature,  145°  F. 

Approximate  drying  time,  3  to  5  hours. 

Currants  are  dried  when  no  moisture  can  be  pressed 
from  a  cut  edge. 

"Condition'*  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Peaches 

The  yellow  fleshed  peaches  give  a  richer  looking 
finished  product  than  do  the  white  fruit.  These  may  be 
peeled  or  not.  A  quick  way  to  peel  is  to  place  peaches 
in  wire  basket  and  immerse  in  boiling  water  for  a 
minute  until  skins  crack.  Remove  from  water,  drain 
and  pull  skins  off  with  the  fingers.  Cut  fruit  in  halves, 
remove  stones  and  place  on  cheesecloth-covered  tray 
with  cavity  side  up,  loading  trays  one  layer  deep,  and 
place  each  tray  in  dryer  as  soon  as  it  is  ready.  Work 
quickly  so  that  the  fruit  does  not  darken  by  being  ex- 
posed to  the  air. 

Starting  temperature,  120°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  150°  F. 
Approximate  drying  time,  5  to  7  hours. 

Peaches   are   dried   when   the   product   is   leathery. 
Press  a  cut  edge  to  determine  if  there  is  any  moisture. 
"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 
Peaches  may  be  cut  in  quarters  if  desired,  or  sliced. 

93 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Pears 

These  should  be  perfectly  ripe  but  of  firm  texture. 
Pare,  cut  in  halves  or  quarters,  remove  cores  and  place 
on  cheesecloth-covered  trays  with  cavity  side  up.  As 
soon  as  a  tray  is  loaded  it  should  go  into  the  dryer. 
There  should  be  no  undue  delay  in  the  preparation  of 
fruits  for  the  dryer,  and  this  is  especially  true  of  the 
kinds  that  tarnish  quickly  when  their  pared  and  cut 
surfaces  are  exposed  to  the  air. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  150°  F. 
Approximate  drying  time,  6  hours. 

When  dried  there  will  be  no  moisture  when  cut  edge 
is  pressed,  and  the  product  will  be  leathery. 
"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

Plums 

Thoroughly  ripened  fruit  should  be  selected  in  which 
the  sugar  is  well  developed.  Cut  in  halves,  removing 
stems  and  pits,  load  on  cheesecloth-covered  trays  with 
cavity  side  up,  and  to  a  depth  of  one  layer  only.  Place 
in  dryer  as  soon  as  each  tray  is  ready. 

Starting  temperature,  110°  F. 
Finishing  temperature,  150°  F. 
Approximate  drying  time,  5  to  6  hours. 

When  dried  there  should  be  no  moisture  when  a  cut 
edge  is  pressed.  Product  should  be  like  peaches,  — 
somewhat  leathery. 

"Condition"  as  directed  on  page  67. 

94 


CHAPTER  X 

COOKING   DIRECTIONS 

In  restoring  the  dehydrated  products  you  will  notice 
that  some  take  more  time  to  rehydrate,  or  bring  back, 
just  as  some  require  more  time  to  dry  than  others  do. 

Where  long  soaking  is  necessary,  say  8  or  more  hours, 
it  is  convenient  to  put  the  product  to  soak  over  night. 

It  is  advisable  to  soak  the  food  in  a  deep  bowl,  with 
the  amount  of  water  needed,  and  turn  into  the  sauce- 
pan when  ready  for  cooking. 

Do  not  have  heat  too  strong  at  first,  but  bring  gradu- 
ally to  boiling  point,  and  then  boil  gently  (a  little  more 
than  simmering)  until  tender. 

The  water  in  which  vegetables  are  soaked  and  cooked 
should  be  used  as  part  of  the  liquid  in  the  sauce  (see 
recipe  for  Vegetable  Sauce,  page  109)  when  the  vegeta- 
ble is  served  with  one.  The  liquid  may  also  be  used  in 
soups,  thus  obtaining  flavor  and  utilizing  the  mineral 
salts  that  were  dissolved  during  the  boiling  of  the 
vegetable. 

Vegetables  may  be  soaked  in  tepid  water  instead  of 
cold,  which  will  hasten  their  restoration. 

If  dehydrated  foods  are  being  soaked  in  hot  weather, 
they  should  be  placed  in  the  refrigerator  or  other  cold 
place.  Then  cook  as  soon  as  the  product  has  been  re- 
stored. 

95 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Where  dehydrated  products  are  to  be  used  for  flavor- 
ing, break  or  cut  into  small  pieces  before  soaking. 

Fruits  as  well  as  vegetables  should  be  cooked  in  the 
same  water  in  which  they  are  soaked.  Bring  very 
slowly  to  boiling  point  and  simmer  for  15  minutes,  then 
drain,  add  sugar  to  liquid,  reheat  until  boiling,  add  fruit 
and  simmer  until  tender.  Best  results  are  always 
obtained  by  very  slow  cooking.  A  fireless  cooker  serves 
excellently  for  this  purpose. 

Regarding  length  of  time  necessary  to  rehydrate  the 
dried  product,  this  depends  largely  upon  how  the  ma- 
terial was  treated  before  dehydrating.  A  vegetable 
that  was  cooked  until  tender,  then  dehydrated,  will 
restore  quicker  when  soaked,  and  will  cook  in  a  very 
short  time. 

Furthermore,  after  the  food  is  dehydrated,  if  it  is 
ground  into  a  powdered  form,  little  time  will  be  re- 
quired for  cooking,  and  no  previous  soaking  is  neces- 
sary. 

If  your  dehydrated  products  are  cut  in  different  ways, 
such  as  sliced,  diced  or  into  strips,  select  the  style  of 
product  best  suited  to  the  recipe.  As  an  example,  sliced 
potatoes  would  be  your  choice  for  escalloped  potatoes. 

The  thoughtful  and  careful  housekeeper  who  plans 
her  meal  in  advance  will  find  that  dehydrated  products 
are  very  easy  to  serve.  The  foods  that  require  long 
rehydrating  may  be  soaked  over  night  for  a  midday 
meal,  putting  them  to  soak  as  late  in  the  evening  as  is 
convenient.  And  for  the  evening  dinner,  start  soaking 
dehydrated  products  early  in  the  morning. 

96 


COOKING  DIRECTIONS 

Suppose,  in  looking  over  the  recipes  included  here- 
with, that  a  housekeeper  plans  her  meals  ahead  for  a 
week.  The  recipes  given,  generally  speaking,  are 
sufficient  to  serve  four  people.  With  this  in  mind  any 
one  can  cut  the  proportions  in  haK  or  double  them, 
according  to  requirements.  Or  if  one  wishes  to  cook 
enough  of  any  one  kind  of  the  dehydrated  product  for 
a  second  meal,  follow  the  Preliminary  Directions,  and 
the  food  is  then  ready  to  be  served  in  any  way  desired. 
There  are  also  a  number  of  recipes  for  dishes  that 
are  really  a  meal  in  themselves,  and,  with  the  addition 
of  bread  and  butter,  a  salad  dessert  or  fruit,  nothing 
more  is  required.  Any  one  of  the  following  will  furnish 
a  most  delicious  meal  and  one  requiring  but  little 
work :  — 

Savory  Meat  Stretching  Dish  (page  114). 

One-dish  Meal  (page  115). 

Corn  Chowder  (page  137). 

Pot  Roast  and  Vegetables  (page  116). 

Vegetable  Stew  (page  117). 

Measurements  for  Cooking  Dehydrated 
Vegetables 

The  cup  specified  in  the  recipes  is  the  cook's  half- 
pint  measuring  cup,  and  when  dehydrated  products 
are  used  the  cup  is  measured  heaping  full. 

A  tablespoon  or  teaspoon  means  all  that  the  spoon 
will  hold. 

The  above  refer  to  dehydrated  vegetables  that  are 
cut  into  dices,  slices  or  JuUenne  strips. 

97 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

When  the  product  is  finely  cut  before  dehydrating, 
more  can  be  put  into  the  cup  than  when  the  pieces  are 
larger.  In  this  event  use  level  measure;  also  when  the 
dehydrated  product  is  powdered,  use  level  measure. 

Unless  otherwise  stated,  all  other  ingredients  are 
measured  level. 


98 


CHAPTER  XI 

SOUPS 

Chicken  Soup 

As  the  meat  portion,  use  carcass  either  of  a  roasted 
chicken  or  a  small  turkey.  Break  into  pieces,  removing 
all  the  stuflfing. 

i  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 
J  Cup  dehydrated  celery  leaves. 
2  Tablespoons  uncooked  rice. 
Salt  and  pepper  to  your  taste. 

Put  vegetables  into  saucepan,  add  bones  and  meat 
and  sufficient  cold  water  to  nearly  cover  the  bones, 
bring  slowly  to  boiling  point,  add  salt  and  pepper  and 
simmer  for  an  hour  and  strain.  Blanch  rice  for  5 
minutes  in  boiling  water,  drain,  add  to  strained  stock 
and  cook  until  rice  is  tender.    Serve  in  bouillon  cups. 

Beef  Stock 

4  Pounds  beef  shin. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  turnip,  cut  small. 
J  Cup  dehydrated  carrots,  cut  small. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  cabbage,  cut  small, 
f  Cup  dehydrated  onion. 

1  Cook's  Bouquet.    (See  page  106.) 

2  Quarts  cold  water. 
Salt  to  taste. 

99 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Put  all  vegetables  in  one-half  the  water  and  let  soak 
while  you  are  cutting  up  the  meat.  Crack  bone,  cut 
meat  into  small  pieces  and  brown  part  of  the  meat  in 
marrow.  Put  balance  of  meat  and  bone  in  the  cold 
water  and  bring  slowly  to  boiling  point.  Add  browned 
meat  and  rinse  out  the  pan  in  which  it  was  browned 
with  a  very  little  hot  water  and  add  to  soup  pot.  Let 
this  simmer  for  an  hour,  then  gradually  bring  the 
soaked  vegetables  and  water  to  a  boil,  add  to  meat 
stock,  also  "bouquet,"  and  salt  to  taste;  simmer  for 
several  hours.  Strain  through  colander,  and  when 
liquid  is  cold  remove  all  fat.  May  be  served  as  clear 
soup,  or,  if  desired,  add  a  quarter  cup  of  Soup  Vegeta- 
ble Mixture  which  has  been  soaked  for  a  half  hour  in 
the  stock;  then  cook  gently  until  vegetables  are  tender, 
—  usually  about  20  minutes,  as  vegetables  are  finely 
cut. 

Cream  of  Celery 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  celery. 

4^  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  onions. 

2  Cups  milk. 

4  Tablespoons  butter. 
4  Tablespoons  flour. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  celery  and  onions  in  cold  water  for  8  hours  and 
cook  until  tender  in  same  water,  then  press  through  a 
sieve.     Melt  butter  in  a  saucepan,  add  flour  and  stir 

100 


SOUPS 

it  over  the  fire,  then  add  milk  and  vegetable  puree, 
stirring  until  slightly  thickened.  Season  to  taste  and 
serve  at  once. 

Cream  of  Mushroom  Soup 

^  Cup  dehydrated  mushrooms. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
4  Tablespoons  butter, 
f  Cup  thin  cream. 
3  Tablespoons  flour. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  mushrooms  in  water  for  several  hours,  then  cut 
mushrooms  into  fine  pieces  and  simmer  until  tender. 
Reserve  a  tablespoon  of  the  cooked  mushrooms  and 
press  rest  through  a  strainer  with  the  liquid.  Blend 
together  the  butter  and  flour  and  stir  into  the  mush- 
room liquor;  add  salt  and  pepper  and  bring  to  boiling 
point;  add  cream  and  the  tablespoon  of  mushroom 
pieces.     Serve  in  bouillon  cups. 

Onion  Soup 

1  Cup  dehydrated  onion. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 

1^  Cups  Thin  White  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 
Salt  and  pepper. 
Small  slices  of  bread,  toasted,  1  slice  for  each  person. 

2  Tablespoons  bacon  fat. 

Soak  onions  in  cold  water  for  8  hours,  then  simmer 
until  onions  are  very  tender,  strain  onions  from  liquid 

101 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

and  brown  them  in  the  bacon  fat.  Then  add  onion 
Hquor  to  them  and  the  white  sauce;  add  seasonings 
and  bring  to  a  good  boil.  Place  the  toasted  bread  in  a 
hot  tureen,  pour  in  the  soup  and  serve  immediately. 

Potato  Soup 

1  Cup  ground  dehydrated  potato. 
3  Cups  water. 

2  Cups  milk. 

^  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley,  powdered. 
Salt  and  paprika. 

Bring  water  to  a  boil,  add  ground  potato  slowly,  while 
stirring,  and  boil  for  15  minutes.  Scald  milk  in  double 
boiler,  add  to  potato,  season  with  salt  and  paprika  and 
pour  into  a  tureen.  Sprinkle  parsley  crushed  between 
fingers  over  the  soup,  and  serve.  If  liked  thicker,  blend 
a  little  butter  and  flour  to  a  paste,  stir  into  boiling  soup 
and  boil  for  several  minutes. 


Pea  Soup 

2  Cups  dehydrated  peas. 
2  Quarts  cold  water. 
Ham  bone  or  bacon  rind. 

2  Tablespoons  each  dehydrated  onions  and  carrots. 
Pepper. 

3  Tablespoons  butter. 
1|  Tablespoons  flour. 

Croiitons. 


102 


SOUPS 

Soak  onions,  carrots  and  peas  in  water  over  night; 
next  morning  add  ham  bone  and  cook  slowly  until 
vegetables  are  very  soft.  Remove  bone  and  press  rest 
through  a  strainer.  Blend  together  the  butter  and 
flour,  add  to  puree,  reheat  to  boiling,  and  boil  for 
several  minutes  to  cook  the  flour.  Season  to  taste. 
Pour  in  hot  tureen,  sprinkle  over  1  cup  croutons,  and 
serve. 

Tomato  Bisque 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  tomatoes. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 

2  Cups  Thin  White  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 
I  Cup  dehydrated  onions,  cut  small. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  green  pepper,  cut  small, 
i  Teaspoon  soda. 

2  Teaspoons  granulated  sugar. 
Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Soak  tomatoes,  onions  and  green  peppers  in  cold 
water  for  4  hours,  then  simmer  until  vegetables  are 
tender  and  press  all  through  a  strainer.  Reheat  tomato, 
adding  sugar,  salt  and  pepper.  Heat  white  sauce  in 
double  boiler,  add  soda  to  tomato,  stir  thoroughly  and 
combine  with  white  sauce,  stirring  while  mixing.  Serve 
in  hot  bouillon  cups  with  a  spoon  of  whipped  cream, 
and  on  top  of  this  a  delicate  touch  of  powdered  de- 
hydrated parsley. 


103 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Vegetable  Soup 

2  Quarts  soup  stock. 

^  Cup  dehydrated  soup  mixture.     (See  page  85.) 

Soak  vegetables  in  stock  for  10  minutes,  then  bring 
slowly  to  boiling  point  and  simmer  until  vegetables  are 
tender.  Instead  of  using  soup  stock,  cold  water  and 
bouillon  cubes  may  be  used.  Soak  and  cook  vegetables 
in  water  until  tender,  dissolve  cubes  in  a  cup  of  the  boil- 
ing liquid,  add  to  vegetables,  bring  to  boiling  point  and 
serve.  In  this  way  a  vegetable  soup  may  be  quickly 
prepared,  requiring  about  a  half  hour. 

Many  other  soups  may  be  made  from  the  dehydrated 
products  by  using  the  recipes  given  here  as  a  basis  for 
other  soups.  To  save  time,  put  the  dehydrated  product 
through  a  food  chopper,  or  if  the  product  is  dried  until 
brittle  it  can  be  ground  into  coarse  meal  through  the 
hand-flour  mills.  In  this  event  soaking  is  not  neces- 
sary. 


104 


CHAPTER  XII 

VEGETABLE    AND    PUDDING    SAUCES    AND 
SALAD  DRESSINGS 

Vegetable  Sauces 

Brown  Sauce 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  onion. 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  carrot. 

3  Tablespoons  warm  water. 

4  Tablespoons  butter. 
J  Cup  flour. 

2  Cups  soup  stock. 

Small  Bouquet.     (See  page  107.) 
Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Soak  onion  and  carrots  in  warm  water  for  10  or  15 
minutes,  then  cook  in  water  until  liquid  is  evaporated. 
Add  butter,  Small  Bouquet  and  stir  constantly  until 
butter  browns;  butter  must  not  burn.  Add  flour  and 
continue  stirring  until  browned,  then  add  stock  and 
bring  to  boiling  point;  boil  for  a  minute,  then  strain 
and  add  salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Cheese  Sauce 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 
2  Tablespoons  flour. 
1  Cup  milk. 
I  Cup  grated  cheese. 

Salt,  pepper  and  dry  mustard  to  taste. 

105 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Melt  butter,  add  flour  and  stir  over  fire  for  2  minutes, 
add  milk  and  stir  until  sauce  is  smooth  and  slightly 
thick,  then  add  cheese  and  seasonings  and  stir  until 
well  blended. 

Cook's  Bouquet 

1  Bay  leaf. 

2  Sprigs  of  thyme. 

1  Blade  of  mace. 
12  Peppercorns. 

2  Cloves. 

5  Sprays  of  dehydrated  parsley. 

Soak  parsley  in  cold  water  for  15  minutes,  then  lay 
the  sprays  in  palm  of  left  hand.  Place  the  spices  in  the 
parsley,  then  fold  over  parsley  so  the  spices  are  hidden; 
tie  securely  with  a  clean  white  cord.  By  using  the 
Bouquet  in  soups  no  one  flavor  predominates,  but  a 
delicate  blending  of  all  is  given  to  the  soup. 

Hollandaise  Sauce 

2  Yolks,  unbeaten. 
8  Tablespoons  butter. 
1  Tablespoon  lemon  juice. 
5  Tablespoons  boiling  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Wash  butter  and  divide  into  three  portions.  Put 
yolks,  lemon  juice  and  one  piece  of  butter  in  upper  part 
of  small  double  boiler.  Place  over  boiling  water  and  stir 
constantly  until  butter  is  melted.  Then  add  another 
piece  and  continue  stirring,  then  the  last  piece  of  butter. 

106 


SAUCES  AND  SALAD  DRESSINGS 

When  melted  and  sauce  thickens,  add  boiling  water 
and  let  cook  for  a  minute,  still  stirring  constantly. 
Remove  from  fire  and  season  to  taste. 


Small  Bouquet 

^  Small  bay  leaf. 

1  Small  sprig  of  thyme. 
5  Peppercorns. 

2  Sprays  dehydrated  parsley. 

Put  together  as  directed  in  Cook's  Bouquet  and  use 
for  flavoring  sauces. 


Sauce  Tartare 

^  Cup  Mayonnaise  Dressing.     (See  page  112.) 
^  Tablespoon  chopped  olives. 
^  Tablespoon  chopped  gherkins. 
^  Tablespoon  chopped  capers. 
1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley. 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  onion. 

2  Tablespoons  cold  water. 

Cut  onion  into  very  small  pieces  with  scissors. 
Powder  parsley  with  fingers  and  cover  these  with  cold 
water  and  let  soak  for  30  minutes.  Drain,  add  to 
chopped  ingredients,  and  mix  thoroughly  in  the  may- 
onnaise. 


107 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Savory  Tomato  Sauce 

(To  serve  with  spaghetti.) 

1  Cup  dehydrated  tomatoes. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  onions. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  mushrooms. 

^  Tablespoon  dehydrated  green  peppers. 

If  Cup  cold  water. 

3  Tablespoons  butter. 

2^  Tablespoons  flour. 

1  Teaspoon  salt. 

1  Teaspoon  pepper. 

2  Teaspoons  granulated  sugar. 

^  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley,  powdered. 

Soak  tomatoes,  mushrooms,  onions  and  peppers  in 
cold  water  for  2  hours,  then  cook  slowly  until  tender 
in  same  water.  Melt  butter  in  saucepan,  add  flour 
and  stir  over  fire  for  2  or  3  minutes;  add  vegetables 
and  their  liquid  and  stir  until  slightly  thickened.  Add 
seasonings  and  parsley  crushed  between  fingers. 
Bring  to  boiling  point  and  serve. 

Thick  White  Sauce 

3  Tablespoons  butter. 
5  Tablespoons  flour. 
1  Cup  milk. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Melt  butter,  add  flour  and  stir  over  fire  for  2  min- 
utes; add  milk  and  seasonings,  and  stir  and  cook 
until  smooth  and  thick.    Then  use  as  directed. 

108 


SAUCES  AND  SALAD  DRESSINGS 


Thin  White  Sauce 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 
2  Tablespoons  flour. 
1  Cup  milk. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Make  as  directed  for  Thick  White  Sauce. 


Tomato  Sauce 

f  Cup  dehydrated  tomato. 
1^  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  onions. 
2^  Tablespoons  butter. 

2  Tablespoons  flour. 

Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Soak  tomato  and  onion  in  cold  water  for  2  hours, 
then  cook  in  same  water  until  vegetables  are  tender. 
Melt  butter  in  a  saucepan,  add  flour  and  cook  for 
two  minutes  while  stirring  constantly.  Add  cooked 
vegetable  pulp  (pressed  through  a  strainer),  liquid  and 
seasonings.  Stir  over  fire  until  boiling  hot.  If  tomato 
is  very  acid  a  pinch  of  soda  should  be  stirred  into  the 
tomato  before  straining. 

Vegetable  Sauce 

3  Tablespoons  butter. 
3  Tablespoons  flour. 

f  Cup  water  in  which  vegetables  were  boiled, 
f  Cup  top  of  bottle  of  milk. 
Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

109 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Melt  butter,  add  flour  and  stir  over  fire  for  2  mmutes. 
Add  liquid  and  stir  until  sauce  is  smooth  and  slightly 
thick,  then  season  to  your  taste.  Using  the  water  in 
which  the  vegetable  was  boiled  as  part  of  your  liquid 
adds  to  the  sauce  the  mineral  salts  and  other  solubles 
which  usually  find  their  way  down  the  sink. 

Pudding  Sauces 

Hard  Sauce 

1  Cup  powdered  sugar,  sifted. 
6  Tablespoons  butter. 
1  Teaspoon  flavoring. 

Cream  butter,  then  add  sifted  sugar  gradually,  and 
then  flavoring.  If  wished  as  a  decorative  sauce,  place 
on  ice  until  quite  flrm,  but  not  hard,  press  through  a 
pastry  bag  and  tube  on  to  chilled  plate,  and  return  to 
ice  box.  When  ready  to  use,  dip  a  thin,  flexible- 
bladed  knife  in  boiling  water,  run  blade  under  each 
rosette  and  place  on  the  pudding  or  at  the  side,  as 
desired. 

Nutmeg  Sauce 

1|  Tablespoons  corn  starch, 
f  Teaspoon  salt. 
4  Tablespoons  sugar. 
1  Cup  cold  water. 
1  Tablespoon  butter. 
Grated  nutmeg  to  flavor. 


110 


SAUCES  AND  SALAD  DRESSINGS 

Sift    cornstarch,  salt    and    sugar  into  a  saucepan, 

add  water  and  stir  over  the  fire  for  5  minutes,  then 

add  butter  and  nutmeg.     May  be  used  either  hot  or 

cold. 

Ruby  Sauce 

I  Cup  currant  jelly. 

1  Tablespoon  butter. 

4  Tablespoons  raspberry  juice. 

Melt  butter  in  double  boiler,  add  raspberry  juice 
and  jelly,  and  stir  with  a  fork  until  jelly  is  nearly 
dissolved.  Remove  quickly  from  fire  and  serve  at 
once.  The  sauce  is  very  effective  when  small  pieces 
of  red-colored  beads  show  through  it.  Raspberry  juice 
may  be  obtained  by  crushing  2  tablespoons  dehydrated 
raspberries,  covering  with  cold  water  and  soaking  for 
two  hours.  Then  simmer  until  soft,  strain  and  use 
liquid.    Sweeten  slightly  while  hot. 

Salad  Dressings 

French  Dressing 

4  or  5  Slices  dehydrated  lemon. 
I  Teaspoon  salt. 
J  Teaspoon  pepper. 
8  Tablespoons  olive  oil. 
3  Tablespoons  cold  water. 

Soak  lemon  in  cold  water  for  1  hour,  then  drain, 
saving  water,  and  press  lemon  in  a  lemon  squeezer. 
Put  the  ingredients  in  a  glass  mixing  bottle  and  shake 
until  well  blended.    Chill  in  refrigerator. 

Ill 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Boiled  Mayonnaise 

4  Yolks. 

4  Tablespoons  mild  vinegar. 

8  Tablespoons  olive  oil. 

1  Teaspoon  salt. 

1|  Teaspoons  dry  mustard. 

2  Teaspoons  sugar. 

4  Whites  of  eggs  beaten  stiff,  or  — 
1  Cup  whipped  cream. 

Put  yolks  in  double  boiler,  add  vinegar  and  half  the 
oil.  Mix  thoroughly  and  stir  over  boiling  water  until 
mixture  is  creamy.  Remove  from  fire  and  chill.  Then 
add  seasonings  and  balance  of  oil  slowly.  When  per- 
fectly smooth,  place  in  a  jelly  glass  in  refrigerator  and 
add  white  of  egg  when  ready  to  serve. 

The  cooked  part  of  the  dressing  will  keep  for  some 
days,  and  the  cream  or  white  of  egg  may  be  added  as 
desired. 

Mayonnaise  Dressing 

2  Yolks. 

3  Tablespoons  lemon  juice. 

1  Tablespoon  tarragon  vinegar. 
1  Teaspoon  salt. 
1  Teaspoon  sugar. 
1  Teaspoon  dry  mustard. 
1|  Cups  olive  oil. 

Sift  salt,  sugar  and  mustard  into  bowl,  add  yolks 
and  mix  well,  then  vinegar.  Add  oil  a  teaspoon  at  a 
time  at  first,  then  when  sauce  begins  to  thicken  add  a 

112 


SAUCES  AND  SALAD  DRESSINGS 

little  lemon  juice  and  continue  until  all  the  oil  and 
lemon  juice  are  used.  When  made  keep  in  refrigerator 
until  ready  to  use.  Add  paprika  at  the  last,  when 
mayonnaise  is  in  its  serving  dish  or  mixed  with  salad, 
as  this  gives  a  decorative  touch  to  the  dressing.  It 
is  not  necessary  to  have  materials  chilled  before  mixing, 
but  :t  is  most  essential  that  the  temperature  of  all 
ingredients  should  be  the  same. 

Stiff  Mayonnaise 

To  proportions  given  in  Mayonnaise  Dressing  add 
1  teaspoon  granulated  gelatine  soaked  in  1  tablespoon 
cold  water  for  5  minutes,  then  stirred  over  boiling 
water  until  dissolved.  Stir  until  well  mixed  with 
dressing.  When  cold  this  can  be  pressed  through 
pastry  bag  and  tube  so  as  to  form  roses,  rosettes, 
etc.,  as  a  decoration  to  the  salad. 


113 


CHAPTER  XIII 

ONE-DISH  DINNERS 
A  Savory  Meat-stretching  Dish 

2  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  onions, 
f  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  turnips. 
8  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Pound  beef. 

2  Tablespoons  minced  suet. 
Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

1  Tablespoon  parsley. 

Soak  each  vegetable  separately  in  cold  water  for 
several  hours;  drain  and  dry  with  a  towel  the  onions, 
turnips  and  carrots.  Cut  the  meat  into  small  pieces 
or  put  through  food  chopper,  using  the  coarsest 
knife.  Try  out  the  suet  and  cook  the  onions,  turnips 
and  carrots  in  it  until  slightly  browned;  add  4  cups 
boiling  water  and  the  meat,  and  cook  very  slowly  for 
Ij  hours;  add  salt  and  pepper  and  the  soaked  and 
drained  potatoes.  Continue  simmering  until  potatoes 
are  tender,  adding  more  boiling  water  as  needed. 
When  finished  there  should  be  about  1  pint  of  liquid. 
Drain  off  liquid,  place  vegetables  and  meat  on  a  hot 
platter,  thicken  liquid  with  2  tablespoons  flour  mixed 
with  a  little  cold  water,  bring  to  a  good  boil,  add  1 
tablespoon  caramel  and  pour  gravy  over  the  cooked 
ingredients. 

114 


ONE-DISH  DINNERS 

Almost  Meatless  Hash 

1  Cup  chopped,  cooked  meat  (corned 

beef  is  especially  good) . 
1  Cup  dehydrated  potatoes. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 
^  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
3  Tablespoons  drippings. 
Salt  and  paprika. 

Soak  potatoes,  onions  and  carrots  separately  in  cold 
water  for  5  hours,  then  cook  all  but  onions  until  tender 
in  same  water.  Drain  and  chop  fine.  Drain  soaked 
onions  and  saute  in  drippings  until  tender,  add  other 
vegetables,  meat  and  seasonings,  mix  well,  add  1  cup 
boiling  water,  and  cook,  stirring  frequently,  until 
liquid  is  absorbed.  Allow  hash  to  brown  on  lower 
side.  Fold  like  an  omelet  on  hot  platter,  decorate 
with  parsley,  and  serve. 

One-dish  Meal 

3  Cups  dehydrated  tomatoes. 

I  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 

1  Cup  uncooked  rice. 

1  Cup  grated  cheese. 

3  Tablespoons  olive  oil. 

Salt  and  cayenne. 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley. 

Soak  tomatoe§  in  5  cups  cold  water  for  6  hours,  and 
onions    in    three-fourths    cup  for  same  time.       Dry 

115 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

onions  on  towel  and  brown  slightly  in  the  oil.  Add  a 
pinch  of  soda  to  soaked  tomatoes  and  cook  slowly  for 
10  minutes,  then  drain,  saving  liquid.  Combine 
onions,  tomatoes,  rice  (previously  blanched  for  5 
minutes) ;  add  2  cups  of  tomato  liquid,  salt  and  pepper, 
and  cook  slowly  until  rice  is  tender;  stir  lightly  with 
a  fork  while  cooking.  Turn  mixture  on  a  serving  dish, 
cover  thickly  with  grated  cheese,  and  sprinkle  with 
crushed  parsley.  Brown  in  a  quick  oven.  Serve  at 
once  in  same  dish. 

Pot  Roast  and  Vegetables 

4  Pounds  bottom  round. 

I  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 

J  Cup  dehydrated  green  peppers. 

^  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 

Noodles. 
2|  Cups  cold  water. 
1  Small  Bouquet.    (See  page  107.) 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Place  vegetables  to  soak  in  the  cold  water  for  5 
hours,  then  drain  off  water  and  bring  it  to  boiling  point. 
Get  a  small  piece  of  suet  when  selecting  the  meat. 
Chop  suet  fine  and  try  out  in  the  saucepan  you  intend 
using  for  the  meat.  Brown  meat  on  all  sides  in  the 
fat,  then  drain  off  surplus  fat.  When  meat  is  browned 
add  boiling  water,  soaked  vegetables  and  Small  Bou- 
quet, and  let  simmer  for  several  hours,  until  meat  is 
tender,  adding  salt  and  pepper  when  partly  cooked. 
Remove  meat,  place  on  serving  platter  and  keep  hot 

116 


ONE-DISH  DINNERS 

in  oven.  Strain  off  the  liquid,  saving  vegetables  and 
discarding  bouquet.  Parboil  noodles  in  boiling  salted 
water  for  5  minutes,  drain  and  finish  cooking  in  the 
pot-roast  gravy.  When  tender  lift  out  with  a  strainer 
and  surround  the  meat  with  them.  Sprinkle  over 
noodles  the  vegetables  that  were  cooked  with  the  meat. 
Thicken  gravy  with  flour  and  water  mixed  together, 
adding  sufficient  boiling  water  to  give  about  a  pint. 
Boil  for  several  minutes,  pour  several  spoonfuls  over  the 
meat,  sending  rest  to  table  in  a  gravy  boat.  Decorate 
with  parsley. 

Vegetable  Stew 

2  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 

^  Cup  dehydrated  turnips. 

1  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 

I  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  green  pepper. 
4  Tablespoons  butter. 

2  Tablespoons  flour. 

3  Cups  milk  or  soup  stock. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Place  each  vegetable  separately  into  a  bowl,  cover 
with  cold  water  and  let  stand  for  6  hours,  then  bring 
to  boiling  point  and  boil  for  15  minutes.  Drain,  com- 
bine vegetables,  add  stock,  seasoning  and  boil  until 
tender.  Drain  liquid  and  save  it.  Melt  butter  in  a 
saucepan,  add  flour  and  stir  over  fire  for  2  or  3  minutes, 
add  liquid  and  boil,  then  return  vegetables  to  the  sauce 
and  cook  slowly  for  10  minutes.  Any  other  combina- 
tion of  vegetables  may  be  used. 

117 


CHAPTER  XIV 

RECIPES  FOR  USING  DEHYDRATED 
VEGETABLES 

String  Beans 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Soak  1  part  dehydrated 
string  beans  in  3  parts  cold  water  for  8  hours  and  cook 
until  tender  in  same  water,  adding  a  pinch  of  soda  to 
accentuate  their  color,  and  salt  when  vegetable  is  partly 
cooked.  Time  required,  about  1|  hours.  String  beans 
restore  nicely  and  to  almost  their  natural  green  color. 

Buttered  String  Beans 

1  Cup  dehydrated  string  beans.  a 

3  Cups  cold  water. 
3  Tablespoons  butter. 
Pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  then  drain,  return  to 
fire  with  butter  and  toss  with  a  fork  until  well  coated. 
Turn  into  a  hot  vegetable  dish,  dust  with  pepper  and 
serve.  These  may  be  served  on  the  meat  platter  as  a 
garnish  to  broiled  steak  or  chops. 

Creamed  String  Beans 

1  Cup  dehydrated  string  beans. 

3  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  Wliite  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  and  reheat  in  white  sauce. 
118 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

String  Beans  in  Stock 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  string  beans, 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
2  Cups  beef  stock. 

Soak  and  cook  dehydrated  string  beans  for  a  half 
hour  in  water  in  which  they  were  soaked.  Drain,  add 
stock  and  finish  cooking  until  they  have  absorbed  most 
of  the  liquid. 

String  Beans  Maitre  d'Hotel 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  string  beans. 

4  Cups  cold  water. 

5  Tablespoons  butter. 
Slight  grating  of  nutmeg. 

1  Tablespoon  lemon  juice. 
1  Teaspoon  minced  parsley. 

Soak  and  cook  dehydrated  string  beans  as  directed 
and  drain.  Cream  the  butter  with  a  fork,  add  lemon 
juice  gradually,  then  nutmeg  and  parsley,  add  to  the 
drained  cooked  beans  and  toss  over  the  fire  until  very 
hot.     Excellent. 

String  Bean  Salad 

1  Cup  dehydrated  string  beans. 

3  Cups  cold  water. 

I  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 

I  Cup  cold  water. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  green  peppers. 

I  Cup  cold  water. 

French  Dressing.    (See  page  111.) 

119 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Soak  vegetables  in  separate  bowls  in  their  respective 
amounts  of  cold  water  and  cook  the  dehydrated  string 
beans  as  directed  in  Preliminary  Directions  until 
tender,  then  drain  and  chill.  Onions  and  peppers  are 
soaked  for  6  or  7  hours,  then  drained  and  used  without 
cooking.  Chop  peppers  fine  and  onions  rather  coarse, 
mix  with  the  chilled  string  beans.  Pour  over  the 
French  Dressing  and  let  them  marinate  in  it  for  20 
minutes.  Arrange  crisp  lettuce  leaves  in  a  chilled  salad 
bowl,  and  heap  the  prepared  vegetables  in  center. 
Fresh  radishes  cut  into  thin  slices  make  an  attractive 
garnish. 

String  Beans  with  Bacon 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  string  beans. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
3  Slices  bacon. 

Soak  and  cook  dehydrated  string  beans  as  directed, 
and  drain.  Cut  bacon  into  small  pieces  and  fry  crisp 
in  a  frying  pan,  add  drained  beans,  toss  in  bacon  fat 
until  hot  and  serve.    Delicious. 

Beets 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Beets  are  cooked  until 
nearly  if  not  quite  done  before  skins  are  removed  and 
the  beet  cut  for  dehydrating.  Consequently  there  is 
no  long  preliminary  soaking  necessary  (3  hours  being 
quite  sufficient),  which  is  a  good  thing,  or  the  color 
would  not  be  so  deep.    But  as  the  cooking  before  the 

120 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

beet  was  cut  set  and  kept  the  color  to  a  certain  extent, 
the  dehydrated  beet  restores  to  its  attractive  bright 
red  color,  and  compares  in  every  way  most  favorably 
with  the  fresh  product. 

Buttered  Beets 

2  Cups  dehydrated  beets. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
I  Cup  butter. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  as  directed  and  cook  in  same  water  until  done. 
Drain,  add  butter  and  toss  over  the  fire  until  well 
coated.  Dust  with  salt  and  pepper.  They  will  be 
deliciously  sweet. 

Beet  Salad 

2  Cups  dehydrated  beet  (diced  are  best). 

4  Cups  cold  water. 

f  Cup  English  walnut  meats,  coarsely  chopped. 

2  Hard-boiled  eggs. 

Crisp  leaves  of  lettuce. 

Mayonnaise  Dressing.    (See  page  112.) 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  in  Buttered  Beets,  drain 
and  chill.  Mince  whites  of  boiled  eggs,  add  with  nut- 
meats  to  beets  and  moisten  with  mayonnaise.  Arrange 
lettuce  in  form  of  nests,  add  to  each  a  generous  portion 
of  beet  mixture,  add  yolks  pressed  through  a  sieve 
and  top  with  a  mayonnaise  rosette  (stiff  mayonnaise 
forced  through  rose  tube  and  bag).  Add  a  whole 
walnut  meat  and  serve  very  cold. 

121 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


Creamed  Beets 


1^  Cups  dehydrated  beets.  J 

3  Cups  cold  water.  1 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  in  Buttered  Beets  until 
tender.    Drain  and  reheat  to  boiling  point  in  the  sauce.  ,1 

Pickled  Beets 

1  Cup  dehydrated  beets  (sliced  are  better  than  diced). 

^  Cup  cold  water. 

1  Cup  cider  vinegar. 

^  Tablespoon  whole  mixed  spices. 

1  Tablespoon  granulated  sugar. 

Mix  water,  vinegar,  sugar  and  spices  and  add  beets, 
letting  them  soak  over  night.  Serve  on  a  small  plate 
as  a  pickle.  (If  beets  were  not  thoroughly  cooked 
before  dehydrating  they  must  be  soaked  and  cooked 
first,  and  then  let  stand  in  the  pickle.) 

Sweet-Sour  Beets 

2  Cups  dehydrated  beets. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Sweet-sour  Sauce.      (See  Sweet-sour 
Cabbage,  page  128.) 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  in  Buttered  Beets,  until 
tender.  Drain  and  reheat  for  10  minutes  in  sweet- 
sour  sauce.    Serve  as  a  vegetable. 

122 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Brussels  Sprouts 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Soak  1  part  Brussels 
sprouts  in  4  parts  cold  water  for  6  hours.  Cook  until 
tender  in  same  water,  adding  salt  when  half  done. 
Requires  from  30  to  40  minutes  boiling.  These  are  a 
most  satisfactory  dehydrated  product  and  restore  to 
their  natural  color,  showing  the  gradations  of  color 
from  the  light  center  leaves  down  to  the  dark  outside 
leaves. 

Brussels  Sprouts  au  Gratin 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  Brussels  sprouts. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 
^  Cup  grated  cheese. 
Buttered  bread  crumbs. 

Soak  and  cook  the  sprouts  as  directed,  drain.  Place 
a  layer  in  a  buttered  casserole,  cover  with  sauce  and 
sprinkle  lightly  with  grated  cheese;  continue  in  layers 
of  sprouts,  sauce  and  cheese  until  all  is  used,  covering 
top  with  buttered  crumbs.  Brown  in  quick  oven  and 
serve  in  same  dish. 

Creamed  Brussels  Sprouts 

1  Cup  dehydrated  Brussels  sprouts. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 
Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  above,  drain  and  reheat 
in  the  sauce. 

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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Sauteed  Brussels  Sprouts 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  Brussels  sprouts. 
5  Cups  cold  water. 
4  Tablespoons  butter. 
1  Teaspoon  flour. 
1  Teaspoon  sugar. 
Dust  with  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  the  sprouts  as  directed  and  drain 
thoroughly.  Return  to  saucepan,  add  other  ingredi- 
ents and  toss  over  the  fire  for  several  minutes,  then 
serve. 

Cabbage 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Soak  1  part  cabbage  to  4 
parts  cold  water  from  5  to  6  hours.  Add  salt  to  taste 
when  half  done  and  cook  until  tender  in  the  same 
water.    Requires  about  25  minutes  time  for  cooking. 

Baked  Cabbage 

2  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 

7  Cups  cold  water. 

^  Tablespoon  salt. 

2  Beaten  eggs. 

J  Cup  cream. 

2  Tablespoons  melted  butter. 

Pepper. 

Buttered  crumbs. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  chop  fine.  Mix 
eggs,  cream  and  melted  butter  and  dash  of  pepper  with 

124 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

the  cabbage,  place  in  buttered  baking  dish,  sprinkle 
top  with  buttered  crumbs  and  bake  until  brown.  Any 
left  over  cold,  cooked  meat  could  be  finely  chopped 
and  mixed  with  the  cabbage  to  give  variety. 

Cabbage  au  Gratin 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  WTiite  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
I  Cup  grated  cheese. 
Salt  and  cayenne  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  cabbage  as  directed,  drain  and  chop 
coarse.  Butter  a  baking  dish,  put  in  half  the  cabbage, 
cover  with  part  of  the  sauce  and  sprinkle  with  cheese, 
dust  with  cayenne,  and  balance  of  cabbage,  cover 
with  sauce  and  rest  of  the  cheese,  and  bake  until 
brown.    Serve  in  same  dish. 

Creamed  Cabbage 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 
2  Tablespoons  butter. 
2  Tablespoons  flour. 
1  Cup  milk. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  cabbage  as  directed.  Make  a  smooth 
sauce  from  butter,  flour^  seasonings  and  milk.  Place 
cabbage  in  vegetable  dish,  pour  sauce  over  it,  toss 
lightly,  dust  with  paprika  and  serve. 

125 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Escalloped  Cabbage 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 
3  Tablespoons  butter. 
2  Tablespoons  flour. 
1  Cup  milk. 

Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Bread  crumbs. 

Soak  and  cook  cabbage  as  directed  above,  drain  and 
chop  coarse.  Melt  2  tablespoons  of  butter,  add  flour 
and  milk,  and  stir  over  fire  until  a  smooth,  thick  sauce; 
season  to  taste.  Butter  a  baking  dish,  put  in  a  layer 
of  chopped  cabbage,  cover  with  sauce,  and  continue 
in  alternate  layers  until  dish  is  full,  having  sauce  as 
top  layer.  Sprinkle  over  some  soft  crumbs  and  dot 
with  balance  of  butter.  Brown  in  oven  and  serve  in 
same  dish. 

Fried  Cabbage 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
1  Cup  dehydrated  white  potatoes. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

Bacon  fat. 

Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Soak  cabbage  and  potatoes  separately  in  water,  and 
cook  until  tender  in  same  water,  salting  to  taste  when 
partly  cooked.     Drain  and  mix  vegetables  and  chop 

126 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

coarse.  Melt  some  bacon  fat  in  a  frying  pan,  put  in 
the  vegetables,  dust  with  pepper  and  fry  until  browned 
on  the  under  side.  Fold  as  an  omelet  and  serve  on 
an  oblong  platter.  Garnish  with  bacon  curls,  or  it 
may  be  served  with  broiled  pork  chops.  A  very  savory 
dish. 

Cold  Slaw 

3  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 
8  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Beaten  egg. 
^  Cup  vinegar. 

f  Cup  top  of  the  bottle  of  milk. 

2  Tablespoons  melted  butter. 

1  Tablespoon  granulated  sugar. 
1  Teaspoon  salt. 
1  Teaspoon  English  mustard. 
Dash  of  cayenne. 

Soak  cabbage  in  cold  water  for  6  hours,  drain  and 
chop  coarse.  Put  milk,  salt,  sugar,  mustard  and  egg 
in  upper  part  of  small  double  boiler  and  cook  over  hot 
water  until  thick,  stirring  constantly;  add  vinegar 
gradually,  then  butter,  mix  thoroughly  and  remove 
from  fire.  When  cold  add  cayenne  and  mix  sauce  with 
the  cabbage.  Heap  in  salad  dish  and  sprinkle  with 
finely  chopped  red  radish  peeling.  The  radish  adds 
both  a  touch  of  color  and  piquancy  to  the  salad. 


127 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Sweet-Sour  Cabbage 

2  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 

7  Cups  cold  water. 

J  Cup  dehydrated  apples. 

1  Cup  cold  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

J  Cup  brown  sugar. 

2  Tablespoons  vinegar. 

1  Tablespoon  flour. 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 

Soak  cabbage  in  7  cups  of  water  and  apples  in  the 
1  cup  of  water  for  5  hours,  drain  and  bring  the  water 
to  boiling  point.  Mix  apples  with  cabbage,  pour  over 
the  boiling  water  to  cover,  add  salt  and  boil  until 
tender.  Drain,  add  butter,  sugar  and  vinegar  and 
sprinkle  lightly  with  flour.  Toss  over  fire  for  a  few 
minutes  and  turn  into  a  hot  dish. 

Carrots 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Soak  product  in  3  parts 
cold  water  to  1  part  carrot  for  1  hour;  bring  slowly 
to  boil  in  same  water  and  boil  gently  until  tender, 
adding  salt  when  half  done.  Time  required,  about 
30  minutes. 

Buttered  Carrots 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  carrots. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
I  Cup  butter. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

128 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  return  to  sauce- 
pan with  butter.  Stir  over  fire  until  carrots  are  well 
coated  and  boiling  hot.  Add  seasonings  and  serve 
around  broiled  chops  or  steak. 

Carrot  Croquettes 

2  Cups  dehydrated  carrots. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

f  Cup  Thick  White  Sauce.     (See  page  108.) 
1  Yolk. 

Salt  and  paprika. 

Bread  crumbs. 

Deep  hot  fat. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  mash.  Add 
sauce,  seasonings,  mix  thoroughly;  beat  yolk  and  mix. 
Place  in  ice  box  until  chilled.  Shape  into  croquettes, 
roll  in  fine  crumbs,  dip  in  egg  (1  white  and  1  tablespoon 
cold  water  slightly  beaten  to  mix),  then  again  in 
crumbs.  Fry  brown  in  hot  fat  and  drain  on  brown 
paper. 

Carrots  and  Peas 

1  Cup  dehydrated  peas. 

3  Cups  cold  water. 

^  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 
1|  Cups  cold  water. 
1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  carrots  as  directed,  and  peas  as 
directed   under   Preliminary   Directions   for   peas   on 

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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

page  147;  drain  vegetables  and  mix.  Reheat  in  sauce, 
add  seasonings  as  needed,  and  serve  as  a  vegetable. 
Most  attractive  combination. 

Carrots  and  Turnips 

1  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 
1  Cup  dehydrated  turnips. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 
1^  Cups  Thin  White  Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  carrots  and  turnips  separately  each  in  half 
the  water  for  1  hour,  then  cook  in  same  water,  salted, 
until  tender.    Drain  and  reheat  in  sauce. 

Carrots,  peas  and  turnips  may  be  combined  as 
above,  using  same  amount  of  each  vegetable. 

Glazed  Carrots 

1  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 

^  Cup  Beef  Soup  Stock.     (See  page  99.) 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 

2  Tablespoons  granulated  sugar. 
1  Teaspoon  lemon  juice. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  until  tender,  drain  and 
place  in  a  baking  dish.  Sprinkle  with  sugar  and  dot 
with  butter.  Add  lemon  juice  to  stock  and  pour  it 
over  the  carrots.  Bake  in  moderate  oven  until  liquid 
is  reduced  and  vegetable  is  brown.  Serve  as  a  garnish 
with  meat.  Carrots  have  a  delicious  flavor  when 
cooked  in  this  way. 

130 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Lyonnaise  Carrots 

J  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 
1  Cup  dehydrated  carrots. 
3^  Cups  cold  water. 

Fat. 
^  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  onions  in  half  a  cup  of  water  and  carrots  in 
balance,  and  cook  carrots  until  nearly  done;  drain 
thoroughly.  Drain  and  dry  onions  on  towel.  Melt 
fat  in  frying  pan,  add  carrots  and  onions  mixed,  season 
with  salt  and  pepper,  and  cook  very  slowly  for  20  min- 
utes, stirring  vegetables  occasionally.  Sprinkle  with 
powdered  parsley  and  when  browned  turn  into  heated 
dish. 

Cauliflower 

Preliminary  Directions,  —  Soak  1  part  dehydrated 
cauliflower  in  4  parts  cold  water  for  8  hours.  Cook  in 
same  water,  adding  salt  to  taste,  until  tender,  —  about 
25  minutes.  Drain  and  serve  as  per  any  one  of  the  fol- 
lowing recipes.  If  the  head  of  cauliflower  was  sliced 
before  dehydrating,  handle  it  carefully  when  cooking 
so  that  the  slices  will  not  become  broken.  If  the  prod- 
uct was  separated  into  the  flow^erets  it  will  not  break 
quite  so  easily.  While  the  dehydrated  product  may  be 
dark  in  color,  it  rehydrates  and  cooks  as  white  as  does 
the  fresh. 


131 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


Baked  Cauliflower 

2  Cups  dehydrated  cauliflower. 

8  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Vegetable  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

^  Cup  buttered  breadcrumbs. 

So£ik  and  cook  as  directed,  then  heap  into  a  casserole 
dish  and  pour  over  the  sauce;  sprinkle  top  with  but- 
tered crumbs  and  bake  in  hot  oven  until  well  crusted. 


Cauliflower  au  Gratin 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  cauliflower. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 
^  Cup  grated  American  cheese. 

Dash  of  paprika, 
f  Cup  Vegetable  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  shape  into  a 
mound  on  a  gratin  dish.  Cover  with  the  sauce,  sprinkle 
thickly  with  cheese,  dust  with  paprika,  and  brown  in  a 
quick  oven.    Serve  as  a  vegetable  entree. 


Cauliflower  Fritters 

To  give  the  most  attractive  dish  use  dehydrated 
cauliflower  roses  instead  of  slices.  Soak  for  8  hours 
in  4  times  their  bulk  of  cold  water,  cook  in  same  water 
until  tender,  drain  carefully  (save  water),  then  dip 
each  piece  in  — 

132 


I 


DEHYDRATED   VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Fritter  Batter 

1  Cup  flour. 

2  Eggs. 

1  Tablespoon  olive  oil. 

f  Cup  (about)  cold  cauliflower  water. 

I  Teaspoon  salt. 

Sift  flour  and  salt  into  a  small  bowl,  add  liquid 
gradually,  then  beaten  yolks,  mix  well  and  fold  in  the 
stiflBy  beaten  whites  and  lastly  the  olive  oil.  Before 
dipping  roses  into  the  batter,  have  ready  the  saucepan 
of  hot  fat  and  fry  as  soon  as  dipped.  Drain  fritters 
on  brown  paper.  Makes  an  attractive  garnish  to  the 
meat  dish,  or  may  be  served  with  Sauce  Tartare. 
(See  page  107.) 

Cauliflower  Souffle 

1  Cup  dehydrated  cauliflower. 
3^  Cups  cold  water. 
1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
3  Eggs. 

Salt  and  paprika  to  taste. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  press  through 
sieve  and  add  to  white  sauce.  Add  yolks,  unbeaten 
and  one  at  a  time,  blending  each  thoroughly  before 
adding  the  next  one.  Beat  the  whites  in  a  good-sized 
bowl  until  stiff,  and  pour  cauliflower  mixture  into  them, 
mixing  lightly  but  thoroughly.  Pour  into  a  buttered 
covered  baking  dish  and  bake,  uncovered,  in  moderate 
oven  until  done,  —  when  there  is  no  sound  when  you 

133 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

"listen'*  to  the  souffle.  Have  cover  to  dish  hot  and 
place  on  souffle  before  removing  from  oven.  Serve 
immediately,  as  souffle  is  apt  to  fall  with  change  in 
temperature. 

Cauliflower  Timbales 

1  Cup  dehydrated  cauliflower. 
3^  Cups  cold'  water. 
1  Cup  soft  bread  crumbs. 
Milk. 
1|  Tablespoons  melted  butter. 
3  Eggs. 

Salt  and  pepper,  nutmeg. 

Soak  and  cook  the  caulifliower  as  directed,  drain  and 
press  cauliflower  through  a  sieve.  Soak  crumbs  in  milk 
until  soft,  squeeze  dry  and  add  them  to  the  cauliflower, 
with  melted  butter,  beaten  yolks  and  seasonings.  Mix 
thoroughly  and  fold  in  the  beaten  whites.  Have 
ready  individual  timbale  molds,  buttered  and  crumbed . 
Fill  two-thirds  full,  set  molds  in  a  pan  of  hot  water 
and  cook  in  oven  until  firm.  Test  with  knife  in  center. 
Turn  out  on  platter  and  surround  with  a  White  or 
Cheese  Sauce.     Delicious. 

Cauliflower  with  Cheese  Sauce 

Use  proportions  as  given  in  previous  recipe.  To 
the  sauce  add  the  cheese,  and  stir  it  over  the  fire  until 
blended,  then  pour  it  over  the  cauliflower  mound, 
dusting  lightly  with  paprika  and  serve  without  brown- 
ing.   Serve  as  a  vegetable. 

134 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Creamed  Cauliflower 

2  Cups  dehydrated  cauliflower. 
8  Cups  cold  water. 
1^  Cups  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

Soak  and  cook  dehydrated  cauliflower  as  directed, 
then  reheat  in  the  white  sauce  and  serve  in  a  hot 
vegetable  dish. 

Celery 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Allow  1  part  celery  and  3 
parts  water.  Soak  8  hours  and  cook  in  same  water 
until  tender,  adding  salt  when  partly  done.  Drain  and 
serve  as  per  any  of  the  following  recipes. 

Celery  Fritters 

2  Cups  dehydrated  celery. 
5  Cups  cold  water. 
^  Cup  flour. 

1  Egg. 

2  Teaspoons  melted  butter. 
Pinch  of  salt. 

J  Cup  water  celery  was  boiled  in. 

Soak  and  cook  celery  as  directed  and  drain.  When 
cold,  dip  in  batter  made  as  follows:  sift  salt  with 
flour,  add  liquid  and  beaten  yolk,  then  the  beaten 
white  and  lastly  the  butter.  Fry  in  deep  hot  fat  and 
drain  on  brown  paper.  Serve  as  a  vegetable  garnish 
for  the  meat. 

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DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Creamed  Celery 

1  Cup  dehydrated  celery. 

3  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

1  Yolk. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  reheat  in  sauce 
to  boiling  point.  Remove  from  fire,  stir  in  beaten 
yolk,  mix  thoroughly  and  serve  in  ramequins. 

Escalloped  Celery 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  celery. 
4|  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

1  Tablespoon  lemon  juice. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed;  drain  and  cook  5  min- 
utes in  the  sauce.  Add  lemon  juice  just  as  it  comes 
from  fire  and  season  to  taste. 

Corn 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  If  steamed  until  nearly 
cooked  before  dehydrating,  corn  will  not  need  to  be 
soaked  long  before  cooking,  but  if  only  steamed  long 
enough  to  blanch  before  dehydrating,  then  it  needs 
longer  soaking.  Allow  1  part  corn  to  2  parts  cold 
water,  and  soak  for  4  hours,  then  cook  slowly  in  same 
water  until  tender,  —  about  45  minutes. 


136 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Corn  Chowder 

f  Cup  dehydrated  corn. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  onion. 

1  Cup  dehydrated  potatoes. 
4  Cups  hot  milk. 

2  Tablespoons  fat  salt  pork,  minced. 
2  Tablespoons  butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  corn  in  1|  cups  cold  water  over  night,  potatoes 
in  3  cups  cold  water  for  6  hours,  and  the  onion  in  one- 
half  cup  cold  water  for  3  hours.  Boil  potatoes  and 
corn  in  same  water  they  were  soaked  in  until  tender. 
Try  out  the  pork,  dry  onion  thoroughly,  and  fry  it  in 
the  pork  without  browning;  add  corn,  potatoes  and 
hot  milk,  season  with  salt  and  pepper.  Soften  6  soda 
crackers  in  milk.  Turn  chowder  into  hot  tureen,  place 
crackers  over  top  and  serve.  A  hearty  and  inexpensive 
dish. 

Corn  Croquettes 

I  Cup  dehydrated  corn,  ground  fine. 
1  Cup  Thick  White  Sauce.     (See  page  108.) 
1  Egg. 
Salt  to  taste. 

Put  corn  through  food  chopper  or  hand  mill,  add 
sauce,  salt  and  egg,  and  set  in  ice  box  to  chill.  Shape 
into  croquettes,  roll  in  soft  crumbs,  dip  in  egg  slightly 
beaten  with  2  tablespoons  cold  water,  and  again  roll 
in  crumbs.    Fry  brown  in  deep  hot  fat. 

137 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


Corn  Fritters 

I  Cup  dehydrated  corn,  ground  coarse. 

1  Cup  milk. 

I  Cup  water. 

1  Egg. 

1  Tablespoon  sugar. 

Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 
1  Teaspoon  baking  powder. 
1  Cup  (about)  flour,  or  enough  to  give 
consistency  for  drop  batter. 

Soak  corn  in  milk  and  water  in  ice  box  for  several 
hours,  then  cook  gently  until  soft.  Remove  from 
fire  and  cool.  Sift  together  the  dry  ingredients,  add 
to  corn  with  beaten  egg,  mix  well  and  drop  by  spoon- 
fuls into  deep  hot  fat,  and  brown.  Drain  thoroughly. 
If  corn  is  ground  finer  (like  meal)  it  will  not  require 
the  soaking  or  cooking.  Then  omit  water  and  use 
about  one-half  cup  of  milk. 

Corn  Omelet 

i  Cup  dehydrated  corn,  finely  ground. 

4  Eggs. 

8  Tablespoons  milk. 

^  Teaspoon  salt. 

Dash  of  pepper. 
3  Tablespoons  butter. 

Separate  whites  and  yolks  and  beat  whites  until 
very  stiff  and  yolks  until  thick.  Add  milk,  seasonings 
and  corn  to  yolks  and  mix  well,  then  pour  into  the 

138 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

beaten  whites,  mixing  lightly.  Melt  butter  without 
browning  in  deep  frying  pan  and  pour  in  egg  mixture; 
place  over  slow  fire  and  cook  until  set  on  the  bottom, 
then  place  pan  in  hot  oven  a  minute  to  cook  the  top. 
Holding  the  pan  in  the  left  hand,  run  a  knife  under 
edge  of  omelet  and  slip  it  out  on  to  a  hot  platter. 
With  one-half  of  the  omelet  resting  on  the  platter, 
fold  the  other  half  on  top.  Decorate  with  parsley. 
Delicious. 

Corn  Relish 

^  Cup  dehydrated  onion. 

f  Cup  dehydrated  pepper. 

S  Cups  dehydrated  corn. 

2  Cups  dehydrated  cabbage. 

2  Cloves  garlic. 

f  Cup  salt  (or  to  taste). 

2  Cups  sugar. 

I  Cup  cider  vinegar. 

1  Ounce  English  mustard. 

Put  all  vegetables  separately  through  the  food 
chopper,  using  medium-sized  knife,  and  measure  after 
chopping.  Place  them  in  a  preserving  kettle,  cover 
with  cold  water  and  let  soak  several  hours  (about  4). 
If  water  has  been  absorbed,  add  enough  more  to 
prevent  burning,  and  cook  until  soft.  Then  add  sugar, 
salt  and  vinegar  and  boil  slowly  until  thick,  stirring 
often.  Mix  mustard  into  a  thin  paste  with  vinegar,  add 
to  corn  mixture,  boil  5  minutes,  fill  into  hot  jars  and 
seal.    Serve  as  a  relish  with  meats. 

139 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Corn,  Southern  Style 

1  Cup  dehydrated  corn. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 

2  Slightly  beaten  eggs. 
2  Tablespoons  butter. 
2  Cups  milk. 

Salt  and  pepper  and  granulated  sugar. 

Soak  and  cook  until  nearly  tender,  as  directed  before. 
Remove  from  fire,  add  butter  and  seasonings.  Mix 
milk  with  slightly  beaten  egg  and  add  to  the  corn 
mixture.  Turn  into  a  buttered  baking  dish,  set  dish 
in  a  pan  of  hot  water,  and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven 
until  custard  is  set.  Serve  as  a  vegetable  in  same  dish. 
The  time  required  for  soaking  and  cooking  until  nearly 
tender  may  be  saved  if  the  cup  of  corn  is  first  put 
through  a  flour  mill  and  then  mixed  with  other  in- 
gredients and  baked. 

Creamed  Corn  and  Green  Peppers 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  corn. 

1|  Tablespoons  dehydrated  green  peppers. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 
I  Cup  milk. 

3  Tablespoons  butter. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  vegetables  in  cold  water  as  directed  and  cook 
slowly  until  tender.  If  water  is  absorbed,  add  milk 
and  complete  the  cooking  in  a  double  boiler.  When 
tender  add  seasonings  and  butter. 

140 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Fried  Corn 

This  is  a  good  way  to  use  up  any  left-over  stewed 
corn.  Place  over  the  fire  and  simmer  until  milk  has 
been  absorbed,  then  add  some  butter  and  stir  over  a 
brisk  fire  until  corn  is  a  golden  brown. 


Stewed  Corn 

1  Cup  dehydrated  corn. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 
I  Cup  cream. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  add  cream  and  seasonings 
and  serve. 

Succotash 

1  Cup  dehydrated  corn. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 
1  Cup  dehydrated  beans. 
4  Tablespoons  butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Top  of  bottle  of  milk. 

Soak  corn  in  half  the  water  for  4  hours,  and  beans 
in  balance  of  water  for  6  hours,  then  cook  both  vege- 
tables until  tender  in  same  water.  Drain,  combine 
vegetables,  add  seasonings,  butter  and  milk  to  just 
moisten.    Stir  over  the  fire  for  5  minutes. 


141 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Eggplant 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Allow  3  times  as  much 
cold  water  as  vegetable.  Soak  for  15  minutes  and  dry 
and  use  as  directed. 

Eggplant  Saute 

8  Slices  dehydrated  eggplant. 
Cold  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 
Fat. 

Soak  the  eggplant  as  directed,  drain  and  dry  with 
towel.  Dust  each  side  of  the  slices  with  salt  and 
pepper  and  fry  slowly  until  tender  and  browned. 
Drain  on  brown  paper. 

Eggplant  with  Brown  Sauce 

2  Cups  dehydrated  eggplant  (diced). 

5  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Brown  Sauce.     (See  page  105.) 

Grated  cheese. 

Bread  crumbs. 

Butter. 

Salt  and  cayenne. 

Soak  in  water  as  directed,  drain  well  and  place  in 
baking  dish  in  alternate  layers  with  Brown  Sauce, 
seasoning  each  layer  of  eggplant.  Bake  covered  until 
tender,  then  sprinkle  top  with  grated  cheese,  cover 
this  with  crumbs,  dot  with  butter  and  brown  quickly. 

142 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 


Fried  Eggplant 

Sliced  dehydrated  eggplant. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
1  Egg. 
1  Tablespoon  cold  water. 

Flour. 

Soft  bread  crumbs. 

Soak  in  cold  water  for  15  minutes,  dry  between  towels 
and  dust  each  slice  with  salt  and  pepper.  Beat  egg 
slightly  with  1  tablespoon  of  cold  water,  dip  each  seas- 
oned slice  first  in  flour,  then  egg,  and  then  in  crumbs. 
Fry  in  fat  until  tender  and  browned.  Keep  hot  in 
oven  until  all  are  cooked. 


Mushrooms 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  This  vegetable  adds  so 
much  to  sauces  and  other  dishes  that  a  supply  should 
be  kept  on  hand.  Allow  1  part  mushroom  and  2  parts 
cold  water.  Soak  for  1  hour,  then  cook  in  same  water 
until  tender. 

Creamed  Mushrooms 

1  Cup  dehydrated  mushrooms. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 

2  Tablespoons  flour. 

I  Cup  thin  cream  or  top  of  the  bottle  of  milk. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
1  Teaspoon  lemon  juice. 

143 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Soak  and  cook  mushrooms  as  directed,  then  set 
aside.  Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan,  add  flour  and 
stir  over  the  fire  for  2  minutes;  add  mushroom  liquor 
and  stir  until  sauce  is  smooth  and  thick.  Add  cream, 
seasonings  and  mushrooms,  stir  until  boiling,  remove 
from  fire,  add  lemon  juice  and  serve  at  once. 

Mushrooms  in  Ramequins 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  mushrooms. 
2|  Cups  cold  water. 
i  Cup  Thick  White  Sauce.     (See  page  108.) 

Dash  of  nutmeg. 

Buttered  crumbs. 

Soak  and  cook  mushrooms  as  directed,  and  drain. 
Add  a  half  cup  of  the  mushroom  liquid  to  the  white 
sauce,  reheat  mushrooms  in  it,  adding  a  touch  of 
nutmeg.  Pour  into  ramequins,  sprinkle  top  with 
buttered  crumbs  and  brown  in  a  quick  oven.  Serve 
as  a  vegetable  entree. 


Mushrooms  on  Toast 

1  Cup  dehydrated  mushrooms. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 

^  Cup  Thick  White  Sauce.     (See  page  108.) 

Salt  and  pepper. 
2  Tablespoons  cream. 
1  Yolk. 

Rounds  of  buttered  toast. 

144 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Soak  and  cook  mushrooms  as  directed.  Drain  and 
add  a  half  cup  mushroom  liquid  to  the  white  sauce. 
When  boiling  add  mushrooms  and  seasonings.  Beat 
yolk,  add  cream  and  stir  into  the  mushrooms.  Remove 
from  fire,  pour  it  over  the  toast  and  serve. 


Onions 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Soak  dehydrated  onions  in 
twice  their  bulk  of  cold  water  for  about  6  hours,  and 
cook  tender  in  same  water,  adding  salt  when  half 
done.    Drain  and  use  as  directed. 


Creamed  Onions 

2  Cups  dehydrated  onions. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 
1  Cup  Vegetable  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

Soak  and  cook  dehydrated  onions  as  directed,  and 
drain.  Reheat  to  boiling  point  in  Vegetable  Sauce, 
add  seasonings  and  serve. 


Escalloped  Onions 

3  Cups  dehydrated  onions. 

5  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     <See  page  109.) 

Bread  crumbs. 

Butter. 

145 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  place  in  a  baking 
dish  in  layers  with  the  sauce.  Shake  bread  crumbs 
over  top  and  dot  with  butter.  Bake  in  quick  oven 
until  browned.    Serve  in  same  dish. 


Fried  Onions 

2  Cups  dehydrated  onions. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

Fat. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  onions  for  6  hours,  drain  and  dry  between  clean 
towels.  Melt  some  fat  in  frying  pan,  add  onions,  dust 
with  salt  and  pepper,  cover  pan  and  cook  very  slowly 
until  tender  and  a  golden  color,  —  about  a  half  hour. 
May  be  served  as  a  garnish  to  steak. 

Onions  in  Hash 

To  use  dehydrated  onions  in  hash  allow  to  each 
pint  of  chopped  meat  2  tablespoons  of  dehydrated 
onions.  If  the  meat  and  potatoes  are  to  simmer  for 
about  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  the  onions  need  not 
soak,  but  can  be  put  through  food  chopper,  then  put 
in  saucepan  with  the  amount  of  liquid  that  is  to  be 
used,  and  gradually  brought  to  boiling  point.  Add 
meat  and  potatoes  and  simmer  as  directed.  Dehydrated 
green  peppers  may  be  treated  the  same  way  if  they  are 
to  be  used  as  mentioned  above. 


146 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Peas 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Soak  peas  In  3  times  their 
bulk  of  cold  water  for  6  hours,  then  cook  in  same 
water  until  tender,  adding  salt  when  half  cooked. 
Drain  and  use  as  directed. 

Buttered  Peas 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  peas. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
3  Tablespoons  butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
^  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley,  crushed. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  above,  drain,  add  butter 
and  seasonings,  and  stir  over  fire  until  butter  is  melted. 

Peas  a  la  Russe 

1  Cup  dehydrated  peas. 
I  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 
I  Cup  uncooked  rice. 
1  Cup  Tomato  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
I  Cup  grated  cheese. 

Soak  peas  and  onions  in  water  and  cook  until  nearly 
tender,  add  seasoning  and  rice,  washed,  and  cook 
until  tender.  If  necessary,  add  a  little  more  water 
while,  cooking,  but  the  vegetables  should  have  ab- 
sorbed the  liquid  when  they  are  done.     Moisten  with 

147 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Tomato  Sauce  and  turn  into  a  baking  dish,  sprinkle 
top  with  cheese  and  brown  in  a  quick  oven.  Serve 
in  same  dish  for  luncheon. 

Peas  and  Carrots  in  Potato  Nests 
I  Cup  dehydrated  carrots, 
f  Cup  dehydrated  peas. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 

f  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Potatoes  prepared  as  for  Potato  Roses. 
(See  page  156.) 

Soak  carrots  and  peas  in  water  for  6  hours  and  cook 
until  tender.  Drain  and  reheat  in  sauce,  adding  season- 
ings to  taste.  Form  nests  on  buttered  pan  with  mashed 
potato,  brush  with  milk,  and  brown  in  oven.  Transfer 
nests  carefully  and  arrange  as  border  round  broiled 
chops.  Fill  centers  with  creamed  peas  and  carrots, 
decorate  with  sprays  of  parsley  and  serve.  A  very 
attractive  dish  and  one  well  worth  trying. 

Peas  and  Onions 

1§  Cups  dehydrated  peas. 

^  Cup  dehydrated  onion. 
4^  Cups  cold  water. 

4  Tablespoons  butter. 

1  Teaspoon  granulated  sugar. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  onions  in  1  cup  water  and  peas  in  balance  for 
6  hours,  then  cook  each  vegetable  separately  until 
tender,  adding  salt  when  partly  cooked.     Drain,  add 

148 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

sugar  to  peas,  also  butter  and  onions,  place  over  fire 
and  toss  with  a  fork  until  butter  is  melted.  Place  in  a 
mound  in  center  of  hot  chop  plate,  and  lay  broiled 
lamb  chops  round  the  peas. 

Pea  Souffle 

J  Cup  pea  meal. 
1^  Cups  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
Salt  and  pepper. 
3  Eggs. 

Put  sufficient  dehydrated  peas  through  food  chopper 
to  give  the  required  amount.  Mix  with  the  sauce, 
which  should  be  boiling  hot.  Remove  from  fire,  add 
beaten  yolks  and  seasonings.  Whip  the  whites  in  a 
good-sized  bowl  and  pour  into  them  the  pea  mixture, 
stirring  lightly  until  blended.  Bake  in  buttered  dish 
in  moderate  oven  until  there  is  no  sound  when  you 
listen  to  it.    Serve  at  once  in  same  dish. 

Pea  Timbale 

^  Cup  pea  meal  made  by  grinding  dehydrated 

peas  in  mill  or  food  chopper. 
3  Beaten  eggs. 
1  Tablespoon  butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
1  Cup  top  of  the  bottle  of  milk. 
1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

Beat  eggs  slightly,  add  seasonings,  melted  butter, 
milk  and  pea  meal,  and  mix  thoroughly.  Pour  into 
buttered   timbale   molds,   set  them   in   a   pan  of  hot 

149 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

water,  cover  with  a  sheet  of  buttered  paper,  and  bake 
in  moderate  oven  until  firm.  Unmold  on  hot  platter 
and  surround  with  boiling  hot  white  sauce. 

Puree  of  Peas 

1  Cup  dehydrated  peas. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

Hot  milk. 

Sprig  of  mint. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  peas  as  directed  until  tender,  then 
press  through  sieve.  Add  seasonings,  and  hot  milk  to 
dilute  to  a  creamy  consistency.  Remove  the  mint 
when  there  is  just  a  suspicion  of  its  flavor.  Serve  with 
croMons. 

Potatoes 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  If  the  product  was  cooked 
before  dehydrating,  then  no  soaking  is  necessary; 
otherwise  soak  in  proportion  of  1  part  dehydrated 
potatoes  to  3  parts  cold  water  for  6  hours,  then  cook  in 
same  water  until  tender,  adding  salt  when  partly 
cooked.  The  length  of  time  required  for  cooking 
depends  upon  thickness  of  the  slices. 

Creamed  Potatoes 
1  Cup  dehydrated  potatoes. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 
f  Cup  milk. 

Flour. 

Butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

150 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Soak  and  cook  as  in  Preliminary  Directions.  Drain 
and  reheat  in  milk,  dust  lightly  with  flour,  add  butter 
and  toss  potatoes  with  a  fork  until  milk  is  thickened. 
Season  to  taste  and  serve. 

Escalloped  Potatoes 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 
Milk. 
Flour. 
Butter. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  potatoes  in  water  for  6  hours,  then  drain.  Have 
a  buttered  dish  ready,  place  in  a  layer  of  potatoes,  dust 
with  flour,  seasonings  and  dot  with  butter.  Continue 
until  all  is  used.  Pour  in  sufficient  milk  to  show,  put 
cover  on  dish  and  cook  in  moderate  oven  until  tender; 
remove  cover  and  brown.  Serve  in  same  dish.  De- 
licious. 

Fried  Potatoes 

2  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Drippings  or  bacon  fat. 

Soak  potatoes  in  water  for  6  or  7  hours,  then  drain 
and  dry  with  towel.  Melt  the  fat,  add  potatoes, 
season  and  fry  at  low  temperature  until  tender,  about 
30  minutes,  then  brown  quickly. 

151 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 


Hashed-browned  Potatoes 

2  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
Drippings. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  until  tender,  and  drain. 
Melt  drippings  in  frying  pan,  add  seasoned  potatoes 
and  fry  until  browned  on  under  side.  Fold  like  an 
omelet  on  a  hot  platter. 

Lyonnaise  Potatoes 

3  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 

1  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 
9  Cups  cold  water. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
Drippings. 

Soak  potatoes  and  onions  separately  in  cold  water 
for  6  or  7  hours,  then  drain  and  dry  on  towel.  Melt 
the  drippings  in  a  deep  frying  pan,  put  potatoes  and 
onions  in  alternate  layers  in  pan,  seasoning  each  layer. 
Cover  pan  and  cook  over  slow  fire  until  tender.  Remove 
cover,  increase  heat  and  brown  nicely. 

Mashed  Potatoes 

3  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
9  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 
J  Cup  hot  milk. 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 

152 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed.  Drain  and  mash.  Add 
hot  milk,  butter  and  seasoning.  Beat  with  fork  until 
very  light.  If  the  potato  was  cooked  and  mashed 
before  dehydrating,  then  take  the  quantity  desired, 
heat  in  double  boiler  with  hot  milk  and  butter,  beating 
until  light. 

Pimiento  Potato 

1  Quart  mashed  dehydrated  potato. 
I  Cup  canned  pimientos,  chopped  fine. 
3  Tablespoons  butter. 

Cream  to  moisten. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Follow  directions  as  given  for  Mashed  Potatoes, 
adding  butter,  cream  and  pimientos,  and  beating  mix- 
ture lightly  with  a  fork.  Heap  in  a  mound  in  hot 
vegetable  dish  and  serve.  A  pleasing  accompaniment 
to  roast  beef. 

Potato  a  la  Andrea 

3  Cups  dehydrated  potatoe's. 
10  Cups  cold  water. 

I  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 

4  Tablespoons  butter. 
Salt  and  paprika. 

Soak  onions  in  Ij  cups  water  for  6  hours,  and  potatoes 
in  rest  of  the  water.  Cook  potatoes  until  tender,  adding 
salt  when  partly  cooked,  drain  and  set  in  oven,  with 
cover  lifted  until  dry  and  mealy.  Dry  onions  on  towel 
and  saute  in  butter  until  tender  but  uncolored.    Place 

153 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

spoonfuls  of  potato  round  broiled  steak,  and  top  each 
potato  with  some  of  the  butter  and  onion,  dust  with 
paprika  and  serve. 

Potatoes  au  Gratin 

2  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
5  Cups  cold  water. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
f  Cup  grated  cheese. 

Bread  crumbs. 

Butter. 

Soak  potatoes  and  cook  as  given  in  Preliminary 
Directions,  drain.  Place  in  buttered  casserole  in  al- 
ternate layers  with  the  white  sauce,  sprinkling  each 
layer  of  sauce  with  some  cheese.  Cover  top  with  cheese 
and  over  this  the  crumbs;  dot  with  butter  and  brown 
in  quick  oven.    Serve  in  same  dish. 

Potato  Border 

Prepare  potato  as  directed  for  Mashed  Potatoes, 
forcing  through  bag  and  star  tube  into  a  border  round 
the  meat.    Potato  may  be  browned  or  not. 

Potato  Cakes 

Prepare  potatoes  as  directed  for  Mashed  Potatoes, 
shape  into  cakes  and  fry  brown  in  bacon  drippings. 


154 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Potato  Omelet 

4  Eggs. 

3  Tablespoons  butter. 

4  Tablespoons  milk. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

1  Cup  creamed  potatoes. 

Chop  the  potatoes  until  quite  fine  and  heat  in 
double  boiler.  Separate  whites  and  yolks,  beat  yolks 
until  thick  and  lemon-colored,  add  milk  and  seasonings. 
Beat  whites  until  stiff,  pour  yolk  mixture  into  beaten 
whites  and  mix  lightly.  Melt  butter  without  brown- 
ing, pour  in  eggs  and  place  over  a  slow  fire;  shake  pan 
so  that  it  is  evenly  covered.  While  cooking,  lift  edge 
and  let  the  soft  part  on  top  run  on  the  pan.  When 
under  side  is  browned,  set  in  oven  a  minute  to  cook 
top.  Place  hot  potatoes  across  center  of  omelet,  fold, 
and  slip  it  onto  a  heated  platter.  Decorate  with  pars- 
ley and  serve.  Particularly  good  if  made  with  left-over 
Potatoes  au  Gratin. 

Potato  PufF 

2  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 

5  Cups  cold  water. 

2  Eggs. 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
i  Cup  hot  milk. 

Soak  and  cook  potatoes  ^s  directed,  drain  and  mash. 
Add  butter,  hot  milk  and  beaten  yolks,  mix  thoroughly, 

155 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

add  seasoning  and  fold  in  the  beaten  whites.  Pile 
on  a  buttered  shallow  baking  dish  and  bake  in  quick 
oven  until  brown  and  puffed. 

Potato  Roses 

Use  as  directed  in  recipe  for  Mashed  Potatoes, 
adding  sufficient  milk  or  cream  to  allow  potatoes  to 
press  easily  through  a  tube.  Insert  rose  tube  in  bag, 
place  potatoes  in  bag  and  force  through  tube  on  to 
a  buttered  pan.  Brush  lightly  with  beaten  egg  and 
brown  in  oven.  Lift  each  rose  carefully  off  pan  and 
place  round  a  broiled  steak  as  a  garnish. 

Pyramid  Potatoes 

2  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
5  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt  and  paprika. 
2  Tablespoons  butter. 
2  Tablespoons  milk. 
1  Beaten  egg. 

Soak  and  cook  potatoes  as  directed,  drain  and  mash. 
Add  butter,  milk,  seasoning  and  egg.  Mix  thoroughly 
and  shape  with  the  hands  into  cones  or  pyramids. 
Place  on  buttered  pan,  brush  over  with  melted  butter 
and  brown  in  quick  oven.  Lift  off  with  broad-bladed 
knife  and  use  as  a  garnish  for  meat. 


156 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Riced  Potatoes 

3  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 
8  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  force  through 
ricer  into  a  hot  vegetable  dish. 


Savory  Potato  Croquettes 

3  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes. 

9  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  minced  cold  cooked  meat. 

1  Cup  Thick  White  Sauce.     (See  page  108.) 

1  Egg. 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley,  crushed. 

1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  onion. 

1  Tablespoon  butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Bread  crumbs. 

Soak  and  cook  potatoes  as  directed,  drain  and  mash, 
Soak  onion  in  a  quarter  cup  water,  drain,  chop  and 
saute  in  butter.  Add  to  meat,  also  crushed  parsley, 
combine  with  potatoes,  add  seasonings,  white  sauce  and 
egg.  Mix  thoroughly  and  set  in  ice  box  to  chill.  Shape 
into  croquettes,  roll  in  crumbs,  then  in  egg  beaten 
with  1  tablespoon  cold  water,  and  again  in  the  crumbs. 
Fry  brown  in  de^  hot  fat  and  drain  on  brown  paper. 


157 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Sweet  Potatoes 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Soak  in  proportion  of  1 
cup  sweet  potatoes  and  2  cups  cold  water  for  4  hours. 
Cook  in  same  water  until  tender,  unless  otherwise 
stated. 

Candied  Sweet  Potatoes 

3  Cups  dehydrated  sweet  potatoes. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 

Brown  sugar. 

Butter. 

Powdered  cinnamon. 
6  Tablespoons  water. 

Soak  and  cook  sweet  potatoes  as  directed  until  just 
tender.  Drain  and  place  in  layers  in  buttered  baking 
dish,  sprinkling  each  layer  with  brown  sugar,  dust 
lightly  with  cinnamon  and  dot  with  butter.  When 
all  is  used  pour  in  the  water  and  bake  until  browned. 
Serve  in  same  dish. 


Casserole  of  Sweet  Potatoes 

2  Cups  dehydrated  sweet  potatoes. 
5  Cups  cold  water. 
4  Tablespoons  butter. 
I  Teaspoon  salt. 
Brown  sugar. 

Soak  potatoes  in  cold  water  for  6  hours,  then  cook 
until  nearly  done,  and  drain.     Grease  a  baking  dish, 

158 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

put  in  a  layer  of  potatoes,  dot  with  butter,  sprinkle 
with  salt  and  sugar,  and  continue  until  dish  is  full. 
Place  cover  on  dish  and  bake  in  moderate  oven  until 
done,  —  about  a  half  hour.  A  few  minutes  before 
serving  remove  cover  and  brown  top. 

Glazed  Sweet  Potatoes 

2  Cups  dehydrated  sweet  potatoes. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

6  Tablespoons  granulated  sugar. 

3  Tablespoons  water. 
2  Tablespoons  butter. 

Soak  and  cook  the  potatoes  until  nearly  done,  then 
drain  and  place  in  buttered  baking  dish.  Make 
a  syrup  by  boiling  sugar  and  water  for  3  minutes, 
remove  from  fire,  add  butter.  When  melted  pour 
half  the  syrup  over  the  potatoes  and  bake  in  moderate 
oven  until  tender.  Baste  while  baking  with  rest  of  the 
syrup. 

Spinach 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Dehydrated  spinach  really 
requires  no  soaking,  as  it  quickly  absorbs  water.  Place 
in  saucepan  over  fire,  bring  slowly  to  boiling  point  and 
boil  gently  until  tender,  adding  salt  when  nearly  done. 
Drain  and  serve  as  directed  in  following  recipes. 


159 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Creamed  Spinach 

3  Cups  dehydrated  spinach. 

4  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
Blade  of  mace. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

2  Hard-boiled  eggs. 

Cook  spinach  as  directed,  drain  thoroughly,  pressing 
out  all  the  water,  and  chop.  Add  the  mace  to  the 
sauce,  reheat  spinach  and  let  boil  gently  for  5  minutes; 
remove  mace  and  season  to  taste.  Have  ready  the 
hard-boiled  eggs,  reserve  yolks  and  chop  whites  until 
fine.  Turn  spinach  into  a  shallow  mound  on  a  heated 
platter,  sprinkle  thickly  on  edge  of  mound  with  chopped 
whites,  and  press  yolks  over  top  through  a  coarse 
sieve,  so  that  spinach  is  evenly  covered  with  little 
yellow  flakes.    A  very  attractive  and  delicious  dish. 

Puree  of  Spinach 

Cook  as  for  Creamed  Spinach  and  press  through 
coarse  sieve.  Reheat  until  boiling,  and  serve  on 
rounds  of  buttered  toast.  Garnish  with  slice  of  hard- 
boiled  egg.  An  attractive  way  to  serve  it  is  to  slip  a 
poached  egg  in  center  of  puree  and  serve  as  a  luncheon 
dish. 

Spinach  en  Croustades 

Cut  stale  bread  into  slices  Ij  inches  thick.  Make  an 
incision  round  the  slice  one-quarter  inch  from  edge, 
and  cut  down  nearly  to  the  bottom  of  each  slice,  but 

160 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

not  through  it.  Scoop  out  the  soft  centers,  leaving 
the  cases  empty,  brush  inside  and  out  with  butter, 
and  brown  in  oven.  The  croustades  are  ready  to  be 
filled  with  the  following :  — 

3  Cups  dehydrated  spinach. 

4  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 

2  Eggs. 

Dash  of  nutmeg. 

Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

Cook  spinach  as  directed,  drain  and  chop  coarsely 
and  drain  again.  Reheat  in  white  sauce,  add  seasonings 
and  unbeaten  yolks,  mix  thoroughly  and  cook  a  mo- 
ment; remove  from  fire  and  fold  in  stiffly  beaten  whites. 
Fill  each  croustade  full  of  spinach  and  set  on  platter  in 
hot  oven  for  10  minutes.  Serve  as  separate  course, 
or  use  as  a  garnish  round  a  roast. 


Spinach  Loaf 

Cook  sufficient  dehydrated  spinach  (about  3  heaping 
cups)  to  give  2  cups  when  drained  and  coarsely  chopped. 
Add  three-quarters  cup  Thick  White  Sauce  and  2 
yolks,  mix  thoroughly  and  season  with  salt  and  pepper. 
Fill  a  greased  and  crumbed  loaf  mold  and  bake  in 
moderate  oven  until  firm  to  the  touch.  Unmold  on  a 
hot  platter  and  serve  with  a  Hollandaise  Sauce.  (See 
page  106.) 


161 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Spinach  Souffl^ 

2  Cups  dehydrated  spinach.  \ 

3  Cups  cold  water. 

i  Cup  Thin  White  Sauce.     (See  page  109.) 
3  Eggs. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Cook  spinach  as  directed,  drain  well  and  chop  very 
fine.  Reheat  in  seasoned  white  sauce  and  add  yolks, 
one  at  a  time,  and  mix  each  thoroughly  before  adding 
next.  Remove  from  fire  and  fold  in  the  stiffly  beaten 
egg  whites.  Mix  and  pour  into  a  buttered  baking  dish 
in  a  moderate  oven  until  done.  Serve  at  once  in  same 
dish. 

Spinach  Timbale 

2  Cups  dehydrated  spinach. 

3  Cups  cold  water. 
2  Beaten  eggs. 

2  Tablespoons  melted  butter. 
Salt  and  pepper. 
Few  drops  lemon  juice. 

Cook  spinach  as  directed,  drain  thoroughly  and  chop 
fine.  Add  beaten  eggs,  butter  and  seasonings.  Turn 
into  buttered  molds  (individual),  set  these  in  pan  of 
hot  water,  cover  top  with  buttered  paper,  and  bake 
until  firm  to  touch.  Unmold  and  surround  with  To- 
mato Sauce.    (See  page  109.) 


162 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Spinach  with  Sour  Dressing 

Cover  spinach  with  twice  its  bulk  of  cold  water, 
boil  as  previously  directed.  Drain  and  reheat  in  4 
tablespoons  butter,  2  tablespoons  vinegar,  and  season 
to  taste  with  salt  and  pepper.  Serve  in  hot  dish  gar- 
nished with  sliced  hard-boiled  eggs. 

Squash 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Allow  3  parts  cold  water 
to  1  part  squash  and  soak  about  8  hours,  then  cook 
until  tender  in  same  water,  adding  salt  when  partly 
cooked. 

Squash  au  Gratin 

3  Cups  dehydrated  squash. 

9  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Yolk. 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 
1  Tablespoon  milk. 

Buttered  crumbs. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  and  mash.  Add 
beaten  yolk,  butter,  milk  and  seasonings,  mix  thor- 
oughly, and  heap  in  a  mound  on  a  gratin  dish.  Cover 
with  buttered  crumbs  and  brown  in  oven. 


163 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Mashed  Squash 

4  Cups  dehydrated  squash. 
12  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 
4  Tablespoons  butter. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed,  drain  thoroughly  and 
mash.    Add  seasoning  and  butter,  mix  well  and  serve. 

Squash  Pie 
Follow  directions  for  making  Pumpkin  Pie. 

Tomatoes 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  If  the  vegetable  is  to  be 
made  into  sauce  and  soups  it  can  be  put  through  a 
hand  mill  after  drying.  This  saves  the  time  allowed 
for  soaking,  but  where  the  tomato  is  to  be  used  in 
other  ways,  the  finished  dish  looks  better  if  it  is  used 
in  the  slices.  Soak  in  the  proportion  of  1  part  de- 
hydrated tomato  to  2  parts  of  cold  water  for  5  hours, 
then  cook  in  same  water  with  a  pinch  of  soda  until 
done,  and  use  as  directed. 

Tomatoes  a  la  Creole 

2  Cups  dehydrated  tomatoes. 

5  Cups  cold  water. 

J  Cup  dehydrated  onions. 

2  Tablespoons  dehydrated  green  peppers. 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  parsley. 

Butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Buttered  crumbs. 

164 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Soak  tomatoes,  onions,  green  pepper  and  parsley  in 
water  for  5  hours,  then  add  a  pinch  of  soda,  salt  and 
pepper,  and  cook  for  20  minutes.  Drain  off  part  of 
the  liquid,  but  not  dry,  add  butter,  pour  into  a  shallow 
baking  dish,  cover  with  crumbs  and  brown  in  a  quick 
oven. 

Baked  Tomatoes 

2  Cups  dehydrated  tomatoes. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 

Butter. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Sugar. 

Bread  crumbs. 

Soak  in  cold  water,  and  cook  in  same  water  with  a 
pinch  of  soda  for  10  minutes.  Drain,  saving  water. 
Place  in  baking  dish  in  three  layers,  sprinkling  each 
layer  with  salt,  pepper,  sugar  and  crumbs,  and  dotting 
with  butter.  When  all  the  tomato  is  used  add  sufficient 
water  in  which  they  were  cooked  to  make  as  moist  as 
for  stewing.  Bake  in  moderate  oven  for  three-quarters 
of  an  hour.    Serve  in  same  dish. 

Fried  Green  Tomatoes 

Sliced  dehydrated  green  tomatoes. 

Cold  water. 

Flour. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  in  cold  water  for  6  hours,  then  bring  slowly  to  a 
boil  and  simmer  for  5  minutes;  drain  and  dry  carefully. 

165 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Dust  tomato  with  salt  and  pepper  and  dip  into  flour, 
place  in  frying  pan  with  a  little  melted  fat  or  olive  oil, 
and  cook  slowly  until  browned  and  tender.  Serve  with 
steak  as  a  garnish. 

Pilaf  (American  Style) 

Ij  Cups  dehydrated  tomatoes. 
2|  Cups  cold  water. 
I  Cup  uncooked  rice. 
4  Tablespoons  butter. 
Salt  and  pepper. 
Pinch  of  soda  if  tomato  is  very  acid. 

Soak  tomatoes  in  water  for  4  hours,  then  cook  for 
20  minutes  in  same  water.  Wash  and  drain  rice  and 
brown  it  in  half  the  butter,  add  to  the  tomatoes  and 
cook  until  rice  is  tender;  add  seasonings  and  balance 
of  butter.  Heap  on  hot  dish  and  serve.  Pilaf  when 
properly  cooked  should  be  dry,  with  each  kernel  of 
the  rice  separate.  If  necessary  to  stir  while  cooking, 
use  a  fork.    This  prevents  rice  from  breaking. 

Tomato  Puree  on  Toast 

1  Cup  dehydrated  tomatoes. 
1  Tablespoon  dehydrated  onions. 
6  Slices  dehydrated  mushrooms. 
1|  Cups  cold  water. 

Salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 

1  Tablespoon  flour. 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 

Slices  of  bread  toasted  on  one  side. 

166 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Soak  tomatoes  and  onions  together  in  1  cup  of  cold 
water  and  the  mushrooms  in  rest  of  the  water  for  4 
hours,  then  add  seasonings  to  tomatoes  and  cook 
slowly  for  a  half  hour.  Cook  mushrooms  in  same  water 
until  tender,  then  drain  and  add  the  mushroom  liquor 
to  the  tomatoes,  and  press  tomatoes  through  a  coarse 
sieve.  Mix  butter  and  flour  to  a  paste  and  stir  it  into 
the  strained  tomato.  Add  cooked  mushroom  and  let 
boil  for  a  minute.  Place  the  prepared  slices  on  a  hot 
platter  with  untoasted  side  up,  cover  each  piece  with 
some  of  the  puree,  placing  the  mushroom  slice  on  top, 
and  serve  as  a  luncheon  dish.    Delicious. 

Tomato  Salad 

Sliced  dehydrated  tomatoes. 
Cold  water. 

French  Dressing.     (See  page  111.) 
Lettuce  leaves. 

Select  the  most  perfect  slices  to  serve  this  way  and 
soak  in  cold  water  until  plump.  Be  careful  when 
handling  that  the  soaked  slices  do  not  break.  Have 
ready  some  leaves  of  crisp  lettuce,  arrange  on  individ- 
ual salad  plates,  and  place  the  restored  tomato  slices, 
after  draining,  on  the  lettuce.  Pour  French  Dressing 
over  and  serve.  To  chill  the  tomatoes,  let  them  stand 
in  the  ice  box  while  soaking  in  the  water,  but  do  not 
expect  them  to  be  as  firm  and  crisp  as  a  fresh  vege- 
table. 


167 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Stewed  Tomatoes 

2^  Cups  dehydrated  tomatoes. 
5  Cups  cold  water. 
2  Tablespoons  dehydrated  onions. 
4  Tablespoons  granulated  sugar. 

Salt  and  pepper. 
2  Tablespoons  butter. 

Soak  onions  and  tomatoes  in  water  for  6  or  7  hours, 
then  cook  slowly  for  a  half  hour,  add  sugar  and  season- 
ing, and  boil  for  10  minutes  longer.  Stir  in  the  butter 
and  serve. 

Tomatoes  stewed  with  Corn 

2  Cups  dehydrated  tomatoes. 
1  Cup  dehydrated  corn. 
6^  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt  and  paprika. 
4  Tablespoons  butter. 
1  Tablespoon  granulated  sugar. 

Soak  tomatoes  for  6  hours  in  half  the  water,  and 
corn  in  balance  of  water  for  same  length  of  time.  Then 
cook  corn  in  same  water  until  nearly  tender,  combine 
with  tomatoes  and  simmer  for  a  half  hour.  Add  other 
ingredients  and  stir  until  butter  is  melted.  Serve  as  a 
vegetable. 


168 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Turnips 

Preliminary  Directions.  —  Allow  1  cup  dehydrated 
turnips  to  3  cups  cold  water  and  soak  for  2  hours,  then 
cook  in  same  water  until  tender,  adding  salt  when  half 
cooked.    Drain  and  use  in  any  of  the  following  recipes. 

Creamed  Turnips 

1^  Cups  dehydrated  turnips. 
4  Cups  cold  water. 

Salt. 
1  Cup  Thin  White  S^uce.     (See  page  109.) 

Soak  and  cook  as  above,  drain  and  reheat  in  sauce. 


Escalloped  Turnips  with  Potatoes 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  potatoes, 
f  Cup  dehydrated  turnips. 
2  Cups  milk. 

Salt  and  pepper. 

Butter. 
2  Tablespoons  flour. 

Soak  vegetables  separately  in  3  times  their  bulk  of 
cold  water  for  6  hours,  drain.  Place  a  layer  of  potatoes 
in  buttered  baking  dish,  dust  with  salt,  pepper  and 
flour,  and  dot  with  butter;  then  a  layer  of  turnips, 
treating  the  same  as  potatoes.  Continue  in  alternate 
layers  until  all  are  used.     Add  milk,  using  enough  to 

169 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

show  through  the  top  layer.  Place  cover  on  dish  and 
bake  in  moderate  oven  until  tender,  —  about  1  hour. 
Remove  cover  and  brown  top.  Serve  in  same  dish. 
Excellent  combination  to  serve  with  mutton. 

Glazed  Turnips 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  turnips. 

4  Cups  cold  water. 
Butter. 

Sugar. 

Cinnamon. 

Salt. 

Soak  and  cook  turnips  in  the  water  until  nearly  done, 
drain  and  place  in  a  layer  in  a  shallow,  buttered  baking 
dish.  Pour  over  melted  butter,  sprinkle  with  sugar, 
dust  very  lightly  with  salt  and  cinnamon,  and  bake  in 
moderate  oven  until  colored.  Add  a  very  little  brown 
soup  stock  (beef)  and  cook  until  tender. 

Mashed  Turnips 

2  Cups  dehydrated  turnips. 

5  Cups  cold  water. 

4  Tablespoons  butter. 
2  Tablespoons  milk. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  and  cook  as  directed  before.  Drain  and  mash. 
Add  butter,  milk  and  pepper  and  mix  well. 


170 


DEHYDRATED  VEGETABLE  RECIPES 

Turnips  Roasted  in  Oven  with  Mutton 

1  Cup  dehydrated  turnips. 
S  Cups  cold  water. 
Salt  and  pepper. 

Soak  turnips  in  water  for  2  hours,  cook  until  partly 
done  in  same  water,  then  drain  and  dry  with  towel. 
Place  round  the  meat  and  baste  with  gravy  in  pan, 
cook  until  tender,  basting  turnips  every  time  the  meat 
is  basted.    Serve  as  a  garnish  round  the  roast. 


171 


CHAPTER   XV 

RECIPES  FOR  USING  DEHYDRATED  FRUITS 

The  measurement  for  these  products  is  "heaping" 
unless  given  by  weight  or  otherwise  stated. 

The  fruits  are  generally  soaked  in  cold  water  and 
slowly  cooked  until  partly  done  in  the  same  water. 
Then  drain,  add  sugar  to  juice,  let  this  boil  for  several 
minutes,  then  add  the  partly  cooked  fruit  and  continue 
simmering  until  tender.  The  slower  dehydrated  fruits 
are  cooked  the  richer  and  better  looking  will  be  the 
finished  product. 

A  very  slow  oven  or  a  fireless  cooker  prepares  these 
foods  the  best.  All  of  the  larger  fruits,  such  as  de- 
hydrated prunes,  pears,  apricots,  peaches  and  plums, 
are  delicious  when  cooked  in  the  oven  in  a  bean  pot  or 
casserole. 

Time  required  to  rehydrate  fruits  depends  upon  the 
condition  and  kind  of  product.  While  approximate 
time  is  given  in  the  recipes,  however,  each  cook  must 
use  her  own  judgment,  and  from  personal  experience 
determine  the  length  of  time  the  special  kinds  require. 

I  have  used  a  dehydrated  banana  that  required  no 
soaking,  as  it  was  found  to  be  sufficiently  tender  when 
prepared  as  the  recipe  stated.  Again  I  have  seen  the 
same  fruit  when  dehydrated  by  others  to  be  quite  hard, 
thus  needing  some  time  to  rehydrate. 

172 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 
Desserts 

Apple  Filling  for  Cake 

I  Cup  dehydrated  apple. 
1|  Cups  cold  water. 

Grated  rind  of  ^  lemon. 

Juice  of  1  lemon. 
1  Cup  sugar. 
1  Slightly  beaten  egg. 

Soak  apple  in  water  for  2  hours,  then  cook  until 
tender  in  same  water,  drain,  and  press  apple  through 
sieve;  add  other  ingredients,  return  to  fire  and  cook 
until  thick.  Cool  and  spread  on  layers  while  cake 
is  still  warm. 

Apple  Gems 

f  Cup  dehydrated  apple. 

f  Cup  cold  water. 

1  Cup  flour. 

I  Cup  granulated  sugar. 

1  Cup  milk. 

2  Teaspoons  baking  powder. 
I  Teaspoon  salt. 

1  Teaspoon  lemon  extract. 

2  Tablespoons  melted  butter. 

Soak  apples  in  cold  water  for  several  hours,  then 
drain  and  cut  into  small  pieces.  Sift  flour,  sugar, 
baking  powder  and  salt  into  a  bowl,  add  milk,  butter 
and  flavoring.  Beat  mixture  hard  and  then  stir  in  the 
soaked  apple.     Fill  buttefed   muflfin  pans  two-thirds 

173 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

full  and  bake  in  quick  oven  until  done,  —  about  20 
minutes.  Serve  hot  as  a  dessert  with  Nutmeg  Sauce. 
(See  page  110.) 

Apple  Omelet,  Baked 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  apple. 
1^  Cups  cold  water. 

2  Tablespoons  butter. 

4  Tablespoons  granulated  sugar,  or  to  taste. 

3  Eggs. 

5  Tablespoons  powdered  sugar. 
1  Tablespoon  flour. 

i  Teaspoon  baking  powder. 

I  Teaspoon  each  lemon  and  vanilla  extracts. 

Soak  apples  in  water  for  6  hours,  place  in  covered 
baking  dish  and  bake  covered  until  tender;  then  remove 
any  liquid,  add  butter  and  granulated  sugar  to  apples, 
and  return  to  oven  to  keep  hot.  Beat  yolks  of  eggs 
until  thick  and  lemon-colored,  add  powdered  sugar, 
flour,  baking  powder  and  salt,  all  sifted  together,  then 
flavoring,  and  mix  thoroughly.  Beat  whites  until 
stiff  and  fold  them  into  yolk  mixture.  When  blended, 
pour  it  over  the  hot  apples,  return  to  oven  and  bake 
until  raised  and  brown.    Serve  hot  as  a  dessert. 


174 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

Apple  Sauce  Cake 

1  Cup  dehydrated  apple. 
1|  Cups  cold  water. 
^  Cup  granulated  sugar. 
J  Cup  butter. 
1  Cup  flour. 
J  Cup  raisins. 
1  Egg. 

^  Teaspoon  soda. 
I  Teaspoon  cinnamon. 

1  Teaspoon  cloves. 

2  Teaspoons  cocoa. 

1  Teaspoon  baking  powder. 

Soak  apples  over  night  in  the  water,  then  cook 
until  soft  in  same  liquid.  Sweeten  as  for  table  use  and 
press  through  a  sieve;  there  should  be  three-fourths 
cup  of  apple  sauce.  Add  soda  to  apple  sauce  and 
stir  until  it  foams.  Sift  together  the  flour,  cinnamon, 
cloves,  cocoa  and  baking  powder,  then  add  raisins  and 
stir  until  they  are  well  floured.  Cream  butter  and 
sugar,  add  beaten  yolk,  then  apple  sauce  and  sifted 
ingredients,  mix  thoroughly  and  fold  in  the  stiffly 
beaten  white.  Bake  in  loaf  tin  lined  with  heavy 
greased  paper,  in  moderate  oven,  about  45  minutes. 
This  cake  keeps  well. 

Baked  Apples 

f  Cup  dehydrated  diced  apples  for  each  one. 
S  Tablespoons  butter. 

Sugar. 

Cold  water. 

175 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Place  apples  in  bowl  and  cover  with  cold  water.  Let 
soak  over  night  or  for  8  hours.  Drain  and  sweeten 
fruit  to  taste  with  granulated  or  brown  sugar.  Have 
ready  a  buttered  baking  dish,  and  arrange  the  soaked 
and  sweetened  apples  in  mounds.  Place  in  moderate 
oven  and  bake  until  tender,  basting  while  baking  with 
butter  melted  in  a  quarter  cup  of  boiling  water.  When 
done,  lift  apples  carefully  from  pan  to  serving  dish, 
dust  lightly  with  powdered  sugar  while  hot,  and  serve 
chilled. 

Baked  Apple  Dumplings 

Allow  I  cup  dehydrated  apple  for  each  dumpling. 

Cold  water. 

Sugar. 

Grated  nutmeg. 

Pastry. 

Use  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  each  cup  of  dehydrated 
apples  and  soak  over  night.  Roll  out  pastry  (recipe 
on  page  190)  on  a  floured  board  to  an  eighth  inch  in 
thickness,  and  cut  into  4-inch  squares.  Drain  water 
from  apples,  sweeten  them  to  your  taste,  and  heap 
mounds  of  the  apple  in  center  to  each  square;  dust  with 
a  slight  grating  of  nutmeg  and  fold  the  pastry  over 
the  apple,  brushing  edges  of  last  corner  of  pastry  with 
cold  water  and  pressing  into  shape.  Place  on  greased 
pan,  prick  each  dumpling  with  a  fork,  and  bake  in 
moderate  oven  until  apples  are  tender.  Serve  hot  or 
cold. 

176 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

Dehydrated  Apple  Cake 

1  Cup  butter. 

2  Cups  sugar. 

3  Cups  dehydrated  apples. 
2  Cups  molasses. 

1  Cup  milk. 
3^  Cups  flour. 

1  Teaspoon  soda. 

2  Cups  raisins. 

1^  Teaspoons  baking  powder. 

1  Teaspoon  salt. 

Soak  apples  over  night  in  water  to  cover.  Next 
morning  drain,  add  molasses  and  cook  slowly  for  2 
hours,  then  cool,  and  chop  apples.  Sift  together  the 
flour,  soda,  baking  powder  and  salt.  Cream  butter, 
adding  sugar  gradually,  then  add  the  cooked  apples 
and  other  ingredients.  Mix  thoroughly  and  bake  in 
bread  tins  lined  with  greased  paper,  and  bake  in 
moderate  oven  about  1§  hours.  This  cake  keeps  well  — 
if  under  lock  and  key.    Makes  two  loaves. 

Rice  and  Apple  Pudding 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  apple  rings. 
1^  Cups  cold  water, 
f  Cup  hot  boiled  rice. 

2  Cups  milk. 

3  Eggs. 

1  Tablespoon  melted  butter. 

f  Cup  raisins. 

f  Cup  sugar. 

1  Teaspoon  lemon  extract. 

6  Tablespoons  powdered  sugar. 

177 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Soak  apples  in  water  for  5  hours,  then  drain.  Mix 
together  the  rice,  milk,  yolks,  butter,  sugar,  raisins 
and  extract.  Place  half  of  the  rice  mixture  in  a  baking 
dish,  cover  with  apple  rings,  then  with  balance  of  rice. 
Bake  in  moderate  oven  until  apples  are  tender.  Re- 
move from  oven  and  cover  with  a  meringue  made  by 
beating  the  whites  until  stiff  and  gradually  adding  the 
powdered  sugar.  Brown  in  moderate  oven  and  serve 
cold. 

Apricot  Ice  Cream 

Follow  directions  and  proportions  as  given  in  recipe 
for  Peach  Ice  Cream. 

Apricot  Tapioca 

If  Cups  dehydrated  apricots. 
If  Cups  cold  water. 

4  Cups  milk. 

1  Cup  granulated  sugar. 

f  Cup  tapioca  (granulated). 

3  Eggs. 

Soak  apricots  over  night  in  cold  water,  then  cook 
until  tender  in  same  water;  cool.  Scald  milk  in  double 
boiler,  add  sugar  and  tapioca,  and  cook  for  15  minutes; 
add  beaten  yolks  and  mix  well,  remove  from  fire. 
When  cold  stir  in  the  cooked  apricots.  Pour  into 
serving  dish  and  cover  with  meringue  made  from  beaten 
whites  and  6  tablespoons  granulated  sugar.  Brown  in 
quick  oven  and  serve  cold. 


178 


DEHYDRATED   FRUIT  RECIPES 


Banana  Fritters 

3  Whole  dehydrated  bananas. 
1  Tablespoon  lemon  juice. 

Powdered  sugar. 
1  Egg. 
1  Cup  flour. 
^  Cup  sugar. 
1^  Teaspoons  baking  powder. 
^  Teaspoon  salt. 
I  Cup  milk. 
1  Tablespoon  olive  oil. 

Deep  hot  fat. 

Cut  each  banana  crosswise  into  3  pieces,  sprinkle 
with  lemon  juice  and  powdered  sugar,  and  let  stand 
while  preparing  the  batter.  Sift  salt,  sugar,  baking 
powder  and  flour  into  a  bowl,  add  milk  and  beaten 
yolk,  mixing  to  a  smooth  batter;  add  oil  and  lastly 
fold  in  the  stiflBy  beaten  egg  white.  Dip  each  piece  of 
banana  into  the  batter  and  fry  in  deep  hot  fat  until 
a  golden  brown;  drain  on  brown  paper,  dust  with 
powdered  sugar  and  serve  with  Ruby  Sauce.  If  bananas 
are  hard,  cover  with  cold  water  and  soak  for  several 
hours  until  softened;  drain  and  pat  dry  with  a  clean 
towel,  then  continue  as  directed. 


179 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Boiled  Cherry  Pudding 

1|  Cups  dehydrated  cherries. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  milk. 

2  Beaten  eggs. 

3 1  Teaspoons  baking  powder. 
I  Teaspoon  salt. 

3  Cups  flour. 

I  Tablespoon  lemon  juice. 

Soak  cherries  in  cold  water  for  6  hours,  then  drain 
(save  the  water).  Sift  together  flour,  baking  powder 
and  salt,  add  milk  slowly,  then  eggs,  beating  until 
batter  is  smooth.  Add  drained  cherries  and  lemon 
juice  and  mix  thoroughly,  then  pour  into  well-buttered 
mold,  filling  three-quarters  full;  cover  top  of  mold  with 
buttered  paper,  put  cover  of  mold  on,  tie  securely,  and 
place  in  a  saucepan  of  boiling  water  and  boil  steadily 
for  2^  hours.  Add  more  boiling  water  as  the  water 
boils  away.  Water  should  come  up  as  high  on  outside 
of  mold  as  pudding  does  on  the  inside.  Turn  out  on 
hot  plate  and  serve  with  sauce  made  as  follows :  — 

1|  Tablespoons  cornstarch. 

Water  in  which  cherries  were  soaked. 
Boiling  water. 
I  Cup  sugar. 
1  Egg  white. 

Add  cherry  water  to  cornstarch,  and  suflficient  boiling 
water  to  give  Ij  cups  liquid.     Stir  this  over  the  fire, 

180 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

boiling  it  for  3  minutes,  add  sugar  and  stir  until  dis- 
solved, mix  in  lightly  the  beaten  white,  and  remove 
from  fire.    Serve  hot  in  sauce  boat. 

Boiled  Rhubarb  Pudding 

2  Cups  sifted  flour. 
1  Teaspoon  salt. 

4  Teaspoons  baking  powder. 
4  Tablespoons  shortening, 
f  Cup  (about)  milk. 

3  Cups  dehydrated  rhubarb. 

4  Cups  cold  water. 
Sugar  to  taste. 

Place  rhubarb  in  a  bowl,  cover  with  cold  water  and 
let  soak  for  8  hours,  then  add  sugar  and  place  in  a 
shallow  saucepan  that  has  a  cover  which  will  fit  tightly. 
Place  over  the  fire  and  let  boil  slowly  until  rhubarb  is 
partly  cooked.  Sift  flour,  salt  and  baking  powder  into 
a  mixing  bowl  and  cut  in  shortening  with  a  knife.  When 
fine,  add  milk  slowly,  still  mixing  with  knife  until 
mixture  forms  a  soft  dough.  Turn  out  on  a  slightly 
floured  board  and  roll  out  a  half  inch  in  thickness. 
Then  cover  fruit  with  rolled-out  dough,  fasten  cover 
on  saucepan  and  continue  cooking  for  12  minutes. 
Remove  cover,  lift  off  the  pastry,  and  place  on  a  serving 
platter.  Pour  over  the  rhubarb  and  serve  at  once  with 
a  Hard  Sauce  flavored  with  orange. 


181 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Bread  and  Fruit  Custard 

1  Cup  dehydrated  banana  slices. 

1  Cup  dehydrated  apple. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 
^  Cup  sugar. 

3  Cups  hot  milk. 
^  Teaspoon  salt. 
3  Beaten  eggs. 

I  Cup  raisins, 
f  Teaspoon  lemon  extract. 
Thin  slices  of  buttered  bread. 

Soak  apples  and  bananas  in  cold  water  for  6  hours, 
then  drain.  Place  in  a  buttered  baking  dish  a  layer  of 
very  thin  slices  of  buttered  bread,  cover  this  with  the 
drained  fruit  and  raisins.  Beat  eggs  slightly,  add  salt, 
sugar,  hot  milk  and  extract,  mix  thoroughly  and  pour 
it  over  the  fruit.  Set  dish  in  pan  of  hot  water  and 
bake  in  moderate  oven  until  custard  is  set. 

Fruit  Cup  (Individual  Portion) 

1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  raspberries. 
1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  strawberries. 
1  Teaspoon  dehydrated  apples. 
3  or  4  Slices  dehydrated  bananas. 
3  or  4  Dehydrated  cherries. 
Cold  water. 

Sugar  to  sweeten  to  taste. 
Orange  juice. 
1  Drop  extract  of  lemon. 

Place  each  kind  of  fruit  in  a  very  small  receptacle,  — 
after-dinner  coffee  cups  are  good.     Barely  cover  with 

182 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

cold  water  and  let  stand  for  several  hours,  then  put  all 
liquid  in  a  small  saucepan;  add  all  fruit  but  bananas 
and  bring  very  slowly  to  boiling  point  and  then  drain. 
Add  sugar  to  juice,  stir  over  jfire  until  well  dissolved, 
and  boil  a  few  moments.  Put  all  fruit  in  one  cup,  add 
sufficient  orange  juice  to  flavor  syrup,  the  lemon  ex- 
tract, and  pour  it  over  the  fruit.  Let  stand  until 
cold,  then  chill.  Prepared  in  this  way  the  dehydrated 
fruit  is  like  the  freshly  picked  product. 

Filling  for  Jelly  Roll  Sponge  Cake 

1^  Squares  unsweetened  chocolate,  grated. 
6  Chopped  dehydrated  figs. 
2  Teaspoons  cornstarch.^ 
^  Cup  water. 
J  Cup  granulated  sugar. 

Chop  figs  and  let  soak  in  cold  water  while  making 
the  cake.  Then  add  cornstarch  dissolved  in  a  table- 
spoon water,  chocolate  and  sugar,  and  cook  all  for  3 
minutes,  stirring  constantly.  Spread  on  cake  while  fil- 
ling is  still  hot. 

Loganberry  Souffle 

2  Cups  dehydrated  loganberries. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  granulated  sugar,  or  to  taste. 
1  Cup  milk. 

3  Tablespoons  butter. 
8  Tablespoons  flour. 

1  Teaspoon  salt. 

2  Eggs. 

2  Tablespoons  granulated  sugar, 
f  Teaspoon  vanilla. 

183 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Soak  berries  in  water  over  night.  Next  day  cook  in 
same  water  until  tender,  add  sugar,  and  continue 
boiling  until  mixture  is  beginning  to  thicken;  then 
cool.  Melt  butter  in  a  saucepan,  add  flour  and  half 
the  milk,  and  stir  mixture  over  the  fire  until  it  coats 
the  saucepan;  remove  from  fire,  cool,  and  add  very 
slowly  the  balance  of  the  milk.  When  smooth  stir  in 
sugar,  vanilla  and  beaten  yolks.  Mix  thoroughly  and 
fold  in  the  stiffly  beaten  whites.  Pour  cooked  logan- 
berries in  a  baking  dish,  and  over  them  the  souffle 
mixture,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven  about  35  minutes. 
Serve  hot  with  thin  cream,  or  cold  with  whipped  cream. 
Delicious  with  strawberries  or  raspberries  instead  of 

loganberries. 

Peach  Ice  Cream 

^  Pound  dehydrated  peaches. 
Cold  water  to  cover. 
If  Cups  granulated  sugar. 
^  Pint  heavy  cream. 
3  Cups  thin  cream. 
1  Teaspoon  almond  extract. 

Soak  peaches  in  cold  water  over  night,  then  cook 
until  soft,  and  press  through  a  sieve.  Add  sugar  while 
pulp  is  hot  and  stir  until  it  is  dissolved,  then  chill. 
When  cold,  stir  the  thin  cream  into  the  peach  pulp,  add 
flavoring,  and  pour  into  the  freezer  can  which  has  been 
packed  with  cracked  ice  and  rock  salt  in  proportions 
of  3  parts  ice  to  1  part  salt.  Let  this  stand  for  5  min- 
utes, then  start  freezing.  Have  the  heavy  cream 
whipped,  and  when  the  mixture  is  partly  frozen  add 

184 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

whipped  cream  and  continue  until  frozen.  Remove 
dasher  and  pack  freezer  with  salt  and  ice  and  let  stand 
for  2  hours  to  ripen. 

Peach  Shortcake 

5  Tablespoons  butter. 

1  Cup  sugar. 
^  Cup  milk. 

i  Cup  cornstarch. 
1^  Cups  flour. 
3  Teaspoons  baking  powder. 

2  Eggs. 

^  Teaspoon  almond  extract. 

3  Cups  dehydrated  peaches. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  granulated  sugar. 
Whipped  cream. 

Soak  peaches  in  water  over  night,  and  next  morning 
simmer  until  nearly  tender.  Do  not  let  them  become 
broken.  Add  1  cup  sugar  and  stir  until  dissolved, 
continue  cooking  until  tender,  and  then  chill.  Sift 
together  flour,  cornstarch  and  baking  powder.  Cream 
butter  and  sugar,  add  beaten  yolks,  then  sifted  in- 
gredients alternately  with  the  milk;  add  flavoring  and 
fold  in  the  beaten  whites.  Bake  in  greased  layer 
cake  tins  in  quick  oven.  Drain  the  peaches  from  syrup. 
Flavor  and  sweeten  the  whipped  cream  with  some  of 
the  syrup  (balance  of  syrup  can  be  used  as  a  pudding 
sauce,  or  with  cracked  ice  and  ice  water  as  a  beverage) . 
Place  a  layer  on  a  serving  dish,  cover  with  part  of  the 

185 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

drained  peaches,  then  with  part  of  the  cream.  Con- 
tinue with  each  layer,  having  top  one  heaped  with  the 
whipped  cream.  Serve  as  soon  as  put  together.  Makes 
a  three-layer  shortcake. 

Potato  Flour  Cake 

4  Eggs. 

1  Cup  granulated  sugar. 
^  Cup  potato  flour. 

2  Teaspoons  baking  powder. 
1  Tablespoon  white  flour. 

1  Teaspoon  vanilla. 
I  Teaspoon  salt. 

Separate  yolks  and  whites,  beat  yolks  until  thick 
and  lemon-colored,  then  add  half  the  sugar  and  beat 
mixture  for  5  minutes.  Add  salt  to  the  whites  and 
beat  until  stiff,  adding  balance  of  sugar  gradually 
while  beating.  Combine  with  yolk  mixture,  and  when 
well  blended  add  baking  powder  sifted  with  white 
flour,  potato  flour  and  vanilla,  and  mix  thoroughly. 
Bake  in  two  layers  in  moderate  oven.  When  cold 
put  together  with  strawberry  filling. 

Prune  Pudding 

2  Cups  dehydrated  prunes. 
2  Cups  cold  water. 

2  Cups  milk. 

4  Tablespoons  cornstarch. 
1  Tablespoon  butter. 

3  Beaten  eggs. 

f  Cup  sugar,  or  to  taste. 
^  Teaspoon  nutmeg. 

186 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

Soak  prunes  over  night  in  cold  water,  cook  until 
tender,  strain  and  remove  stones.  Dissolve  cornstarch 
in  a  little  milk,  heat  balance  of  milk,  add  cornstarch, 
sugar  and  butter,  and  cook,  stirring  constantly,  for 
5  minutes.  Add  beaten  eggs  and  bring  to  boiling 
point;  add  flavoring  and  prunes,  remove  from  fire, 
pour  into  a  buttered  dish,  and  bake  in  moderate  oven 
for  from  15  to  20  minutes.    Serve  hot. 


Pumpkin  Pie 

2  Cups  dehydrated  pumpkin. 
6  Cups  cold  water. 

3  Cups  milk. 
2  Beaten  eggs. 

1|  Cups  sugar. 

1  Teaspoon  ground  cinnamon. 

1  Teaspoon  ground  ginger, 

f  Teaspoon  salt. 

Soak  pumpkin  over  night  in  cold  water  and  boil 
tender  in  same  water.  Drain  and  press  through  sieve. 
Add  milk,  sugar,  eggs  and  seasonings  to  pumpkin  and 
mix  well.  Line  greased  pie  dish  with  pastry,  pour  in 
mixture,  and  bake  in  moderate  oven  until  custard  is 
set.     Proportions  give  two  medium-sized  pies. 


187 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Pumpkin  Timbale 

1  Cup  dehydrated  pumpkin. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 

^  Cup  sugar,  or  to  taste. 
2  Slightly  beaten  eggs, 
f  Cup  milk. 

1  Tablespoon  cornstarch. 
Pinch  of  salt. 
Grated  nutmeg. 

Soak  pumpkin  in  cold  water  over  night,  then  cook 
in  same  water  until  tender.  Drain  and  press  through  a 
sieve.  When  cool  add  salt,  sugar,  milk  and  eggs,  and 
cornstarch  dissolved  in  a  tablespoon  of  milk.  Mix 
thoroughly  and  flavor  with  grated  nutmeg.  Butter  a 
timbale  mold,  pour  in  pumpkin  mixture,  set  pan  in  a 
dish  containing  hot  water,  and  bake  in  moderate  oven 
until  timbale  is  set.  When  baked,  unmold  on  a  serving 
dish  and  set  aside  until  cold.  Serve  as  a  dessert  with 
whipped  cream  sweetened  and  flavored  with  ginger  ex- 
tract. May  be  baked  in  individual  molds  instead  of 
the  large  one. 

Rhubarb  Dainty 

2  Cups  dehydrated  rhubarb. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  sugar,  or  to  taste. 
1  Tablespoon  cornstarch. 
I  Teaspoon  salt. 
I  Teaspoon  vanilla. 

3  Egg  whites. 

188 


'    DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

Soak  rhubarb  in  cold  water  over  night,  then  cook 
tender  in  same  water.  Dissolve  cornstarch  in  a  little 
cold  water,  add  to  rhubarb,  also  sugar,  and  boil,  stirring 
constantly  for  5  minutes.  Remove  from  fire  and  cool. 
Add  salt  to  egg  whites  and  beat  until  very  stiff;  add 
rhubarb  mixture  and  vanilla  and  fold  in  lightly.  Heap 
into  glass  serving  dish  and  chill.  Decorate  with 
whipped  cream  just  before  serving. 

Rhubarb  Mold 

1  Cup  dehydrated  rhubarb. 
1  Cup  cold  water. 

1  Tablespoon  granulated  gelatine. 

2  Tablespoons  cold  water. 

3  Eggs. 

Sugar  to  taste. 
2  Slices  dehydrated  lemon. 

Put  rhubarb  to  soak  over  night  in  cold  water,  and 
the  lemon  in  2  tablespoons  of  cold  water.  In  the 
morning  squeeze  the  juice  from  lemon,  add  it  to  rhu- 
barb with  sufficient  sugar  to  sweeten,  and  cook  in 
water  it  was  soaked  in,  until  very  soft.  Soak  gelatine 
in  2  tablespoons  cold  water  for  10  minutes,  then  add  it 
to  rhubarb  and  stir  until  dissolved.  Beat  yolks  until 
thick,  add  to  rhubarb,  mix  well  and  set  aside  until  it 
begins  to  congeal;  then  mix  in  lightly  the  beaten  egg 
whites.  Pour  into  mold,  rinsed  with  cold  water,  and 
set  on  ice  until  firm.  Unmold  on  serving  dish  and  deco- 
rate with  sweetened  whipped  cream  and  any  seasona- 
ble fresh  fruit. 

189 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Rhubarb  Pie 

Pastry 
1^  Cups  sifted  flour. 


Teaspoon  salt. 


f  Cup  shortening. 

Ice  water  (about  ^  cup). 

Sift  flour  and  salt  into  mixing  bowl,  add  shortening, 
and  cut  it  in  with  a  knife  until  it  is  very  fine;  then  add 
ice  water  gradually,  mixing  with  knife  into  a  firm  dough. 
Chill  pastry,  then  roll  out  on  a  slightly  floured  board 
an  eighth  inch  thick. 

Filling 

2  Cups  dehydrated  rhubarb. 
2  Cups  cold  water. 
Sugar  to  sweeten. 
1  Tablespoon  flour. 

Soak  rhubarb  all  night  in  cold  water,  drain  and 
sweeten.  Line  a  greased  pie  plate  with  pastry,  pour 
in  the  sweetened  rhubarb,  sprinkle  with  flour  and 
cover  top  with  strips  of  pastry.  Bake  in  moderate 
oven  until  rhubarb  is  cooked  and  pastry  browned. 

Stewed  Cranberries 

3  Cups  dehydrated  cranberries. 
3  Cups  cold  water. 
1|  Cups  sugar,  or  to  taste. 

Soak  cranberries  in  cold  water  for  5  hours,  add  sugar 
and  cook  slowly  until  berries  are  tender. 

190 


DEHYDRATED   FRUIT  RECIPES 

Stewed  Pears 

1  Pound  dehydrated  pears. 

Cold  water. 
1  Cup  sugar. 
3  or  4  Slices  dehydrated  lemon. 

Place  pears  in  bowl,  cover  with  twice  their  bulk  of 
cold  water,  and  soak  over  night.  Add  sugar  and  lemon 
(soaked  in  4  tablespoons  cold  water),  and  simmer  over 
a  slow  fire  until  pears  are  tender. 

Stewed  Rhubarb 

1  Pint  dehydrated  rhubarb. 
1  Pint  cold  water. 
Sugar  to  taste. 

Soak  rhubarb  in  water  over  night.  Next  morning 
add  sugar  and  cook  in  oven  until  done. 

Strawberry  Filling 

1  Cup  dehydrated  strawberries. 
1  Cup  cold  water. 
1  Cup  sugar. 
1  Egg  white. 

Soak  strawberries  in  water  for  several  hours,  then 
cook  until  very  soft  and  reduced  to  1  cupful.  Press 
through  strainer  and  chill.  Beat  white  until  stiff,  add 
sugar  gradually  while  beating,  then  add  strawberries 

191 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

a  little  at  a  time,  and  beat  mixture  for  15  minutes. 
Makes  a  delicious  filling  for  cake,  and  may  also  be 
served  as  a  dessert  in  thin  glasses  in  alternate  layers, 
with  sweetened  whipped  cream. 

Strawberry  Whip 

2  Cups  dehydrated  strawberries. 
1|  Cups  cold  water. 

1  Cup  heavy  cream. 

2  Egg  whites. 

1  Cup  granulated  sugar. 
1  Teaspoon  vanilla  extract. 
Lady  fingers. 

Soak  berries  in  cold  water  for  5  hours,  then  simmer 
in  same  water  until  tender.  Drain  berries  and  reserve 
a  half  dozen  of  the  largest.  Add  sugar  to  the  liquid 
and  boil  down  the  syrup;  add  berries  to  syrup  and 
simmer  until  tender,  then  press  through  a  sieve  and 
chill.  There  should  be  1  cup  of  pulp.  Beat  whites 
until  stiff,  add  gradually  the  strawberry  pulp,  and 
continue  the  beating.  Whip  cream  and  add  gradually 
to  strawberry  mixture,  add  flavoring  and  chill.  Place 
several  lady  fingers  cut  in  halves  in  tall,  slender  glasses, 
fill  with  chilled  strawberry  whip,  and  decorate  top 
with  the  reserved  strawberries  which  have  been  sweet- 
ened with  powdered  sugar.  Serve  at  once  so  cake  will 
not  soften. 


192 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

Sweet  Potato  Pie 

1|  Cups  coarsely  ground  sweet  potato  flour. 

2  Beaten  eggs. 
1|  Cups  milk. 

^  Cup  sugar,  or  to  taste. 

^  Teaspoon  salt. 
1|  Teaspoon  cinnamon. 

Beat  eggs  slightly  and  add  milk.  Mix  together  the 
sugar,  salt,  cinnamon  and  sweet  potato  flour.  Add  egg 
mixture  and  mix  well.  Line  a  greased  pie  tin  with 
pastry  rolled  out  to  an  eighth  inch  in  thickness,  pour 
in  custard,  and  bake  in  moderate  oven  until  custard 
is  set. 

Jellies 

Cranberry  Jelly 

2  Cups  dehydrated  cranberries. 
2|  Cups  cold  water. 
1|  Cups  granulated  sugar  (or  to  taste). 

Soak  cranberries  in  cold  water  for  4  hours,  then 
simmer  until  berries  are  very  soft,  strain,  pressing 
berries  so  nothing  but  skins  remain  in  strainer.  Boil 
juice  and  pulp  for  12  minutes,  add  sugar,  stirring  until 
dissolved,  then  boil  until  the  syrup  "jells."  Pour  into 
molds  rinsed  in  cold  water  and  set  aside  until  firm. 


193 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

Mint  Jelly 

1  Cup  dehydrated  mint  leaves. 

2  Cups  cold  water. 

1|  Tablespoons  granulated  gelatine. 
2  Tablespoons  boiling  water. 
I  Cup  cider  vinegar. 
I  Cup  granulated  sugar. 
Pinch  of  salt. 

Soak  mint  leaves  in  cold  water  for  2  hours,  then 
simmer  in  same  water  for  10  minutes  and  strain.  Soak 
gelatine  for  5  minutes  in  cold  water,  and  dissolve  in 
hot  mint  liquid.  Add  salt,  sugar  and  vinegar.  Pour 
into  shallow  mold,  rinsed  in  cold  water,  and  set  aside 
until  firm.  Remove  from  mold,  chop  coarse,  and  use 
as  a  decoration  round  cold  sliced  lamb. 


Canning  and   Preserving  Dehydrated   Products 

Perhaps  our  summer  has  been  spent  in  dehydrating 
our  supply  of  fruits,  and  winter  finds  no  shelves  of 
canned  fruits,  sparkling  jellies,  delicious  jams,  marma- 
lades and  all  the  other  good  things  that  we  have  become 
accustomed  to. 

But  with  our  stock  of  dehydrated  fruits  we  may  have 
some  of  them  canned,  make  conserves,  jams,  marma- 
lades of  others,  yes,  and  jellies  and  pickles  too.  And 
best  of  all,  both  our  dehydrating  and,  later  on,  our 
canning  may  be  done  in  comfort,  for  dehydrating  is 
carried  on  at  a  low  temperature;    consequently,  the 

194 


DEHYDRATED  FRUIT  RECIPES 

kitchen  is  not  overheated,  and  in  winter,  when  our 
dehydrated  product  may  become  a  canned  one,  we 
are  very  glad  of  the  extra  heat. 

Whoever  spent  a  really  comfortable  day  canning 
and  making  all  the  other  goodies  in  hot  summer 
weather?  Standing  over  the  fire  carefully  stirring  the 
kettle  of  jam  can  be  comfortably  done,  however,  when 
the  snow  is  on  the  ground,  and  not  when  old  Sol  is 
doing  his  utmost  to  make  the  work  a  martyrdom.  So 
do  not  think  that  because  your  fruits  are  in  a  de- 
hydrated stage  you  are  barred  from  enjoying  them  as 
of  yore.  No,  indeed;  the  dried  product  gives  an 
excellent  canned  or  jellied  one,  and  this  is  equally  true 
of  the  other  forms  of  preserves,  such  as  jams  and 
conserves. 


195 


ADDENDA 
Practical  Suggestions 

Dehydrated  products  do  not  restore  satisfactorily  until 
they  have  been  out  of  the  dehydrator  for  24  hours.  This 
is  probably  because  the  cells  are  tired  and  need  a  little  rest 
and  recuperation,  for  even  "inanimate"  matter  becomes 
exhausted. 

Be  careful  not  to  under-dry,  for  if  free  moisture  is  left  in, 
molding  is  apt  to  ensue. 

Approximate  time-tables  have  been  given,  but,  as  ex- 
plained with  them,  the  times  indicated  are  approximative 
only,  or,  in  plainer  term,  elastic.  Climate,  soil,  season,  al- 
titude, thickness  of  slices  or  pieces,  water  content,  age  of 
produce  are  all  factors  requiring  consideration,  but  with  a 
little  practice  one  is  soon  able  to  tell  by  the  "feel"  whether 
dehydration  is  completed  or  not,  and  the  test  suggested 
previously  for  free  moisture  is  a  safe  guide  always.  Generally 
speaking,  products  should  be  leathery  and  just  past  the  free 
moisture  stage.  If  dried  in  machine  to  crisp  or  brittle  stage, 
restoration  and  quality  are  doubtful.  Most  products  will 
harden  during  the  conditioning  period,  which  is  as  it  should 
be. 

If  a  batch  of  fruits  or  vegetables  should  prove  insufficiently 
dehydrated  after  removal  from  dryer,  replace  until  really 
finished  —  in  low  temperature  at  first,  and  when  material 
is  well  warmed  through  raise  the  temperature  to  maximum 
for  that  particular  product. 

Dehydrate  in  dry  weather  if  possible.  This  applies  to 
packing  away  also. 

196 


ADDENDA 

Dehydrators,  large  or  small,  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned 
and  sterilized  at  frequent  intervals. 

Produce  must  be  cubed,  sliced  or  stripped  uniformly,  other- 
wise part  of  the  dehydrator's  contents  will  be  ready  to  come 
out  before  the  rest  is  done,  resulting,  perhaps,  in  both  under 
and  over  drying. 

Moist  air  is  always  best  in  the  dehydrator  during  the  first 
quarter  or  third  of  the  process. 

It  is  best  to  cut  glutinous  material  into  thin  slices  or  fine 
strips  —  bell  peppers  and  okra,  for  example.  While  such 
things  may  be  dehydrated  whole  or  in  large  sections,  it  takes 
very  much  more  time.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  finer  all 
materials  are  cut,  the  greater  will  be  the  saving  of  time,  fuel 
and  attention.  Output  will  be  increased  also,  as  the  de- 
hydrator can  be  filled  and  emptied  more  frequently. 

With  a  view  to  the  appearance  of  finished  product,  two 
agents  are  employed  by  some  operators  to  prevent  discolora- 
tion, namely,  sulphur  and  carbonic  acid  gas.  The  latter  was 
in  vogue  many  years  ago,  having  been  employed  in  the  old- 
style  drum  dryers,  coke  being  the  source  usually. 

Drying  times  for  potatoes  vary  greatly  according  to  age 
of  vegetable. 

When  piling  trays,  allow  for  circulation  of  air  and  libera- 
tion of  moisture.  Slices  should  not  lie  closely  on  top  of  each 
other. 

Stems  must  be  removed  from  leaves  of  spinach  and  the 
like  before  drying,  but  can  be  mixed  later,  after  separate 
drying.  With  cabbage,  the  thick  midrib  should  be  cut  from 
leaf  and  sliced  before  drying. 

Flavoring  herbs,  mint,  etc.,  should  not  be  blanched,  as 
thereby  they  lose  much  of  their  volatile  properties. 

Restoring  and  cooking  are  very  important  considerations. 
Do  not  drown  products  by  using  too  much  water  for  restora- 

197 


DEHYDRATING  FOODS 

tion,  but  see  that  there  is  sufficient  for  full  absorption,  and 
a  little  more.  Cook  the  products  in  the  same  water  in  which 
they  were  restored,  as  directed  in  recipe  section. 

In  dehydrating  large  quantities  there  will  necessarily  be 
a  good  deal  of  broken  pieces  and  scraps.  These  may  be  dried 
and  mixed  for  soup  stock. 

Before  attempting  to  market  various  runs,  test  samples 
for  restoration  and  other  qualities. 

Be  careful  to  keep  containers  insect-proof.  Bags  and 
packages  must  have  no  holes,  and  must  be  kept  securely 
sealed.  It  is  well  to  coat  with  paraffin  after  sealing.  If 
glass  jars  and  crocks  are  used,  they  must  be  tightly  covered. 

As  volatiles  and  other  essentials  are  retained  through 
dehydration,  this  process  may  become  an  important  factor 
in  the  manufacturing  of  perfumes.  Tests  are  being  made 
now,  in  my  experimental  kitchen,  with  flower  petals  and 
other  materials,  to  determine  whether  they  can  be  dehy- 
drated and  used  later  for  perfume  making,  when  and  as 
convenient. 

Fruit  juices  are  being  dehydrated  and  used  in  powder 
form  for  flavorings. 

Vegetable  Colorings.  —  Pure  vegetable  colorings  are  made 
by  grinding  spinach,  beets,  carrots,  etc.,  to  powder  after 
dehydration. 


198 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Acid  fruits,  to  keep  from  metal,  64. 
Addenda  (practical  suggestion),  196. 
Adding  flavors,  65. 
Almost  meatless  hash,  115. 
Appearance  of  products,  36. 
Apples,  64,  89,  173-177. 

Baked,  175. 

Cake,  177. 

Cooking  recipes,  173-177. 

Drying  of,  89. 

Dumplings,  176. 

Filling  for  cake,  173. 

Gems,  173. 

Omelet,  baked,  174. 

Pudding  with  rice,  177. 

Sauce  cake,  175. 
Apricots,  64,  90,  178. 

Cooking  recipes,  178. 

Drying  of,  90. 

Ice  cream,  178. 

Tapioca,  178. 

Bananas,  90,  179,  182. 

Cooking  recipes,  179,  182. 

Drying  of,  90. 

Fritters,  179. 
Basic    materials    for    jams,    jellies, 

syrups  and  extracts,  21. 
Beans,  Lima,  71,  118. 

Cooking  recipes.     Same  as  String 
Beans,  118. 

Drying  of,  71. 
Beans,  string,  71,  118-120. 

Buttered,  118. 

Cooking  recipes,  118-120. 

Creamed,  118. 

Drying  of,  71. 

In  stock,  119. 

Maltre  d'hotel,  119. 

Salad,  119.  '  ■ 

With  bacon,  120. 


Beet  greens,  drying  of,  70. 
Beets,  63,  69,  70,  120-122. 

Buttered,  121. 

Cooking  recipes,  120-122. 

Creamed,  122. 

Drying  of,  69. 

For  sugar,  63. 

Pickled,  122. 

Salad,  121. 

Sweet-sour,  122. 
Bell  peppers,  to  peel,  64. 

Drying  of,  197. 
Berries,  to  dry  whole,  64. 
Blackberries,  drying  of,  91. 
Blanching  for  home  work,  51,  66. 
Blanching  time-table  for  commercial 

drying,  55. 
Blanching  with  steam,  37,  51. 
Blowers,  35. 

Bread  and  fruit  custard,  182. 
Brussels  sprouts,  70,  123,  124. 

Au  gratin,  123. 

Cooking  recipes,  123,  124. 

Creamed,  123. 

Drying  of,  70. 

Saut6ed,  124. 


Cabbage,  71,  124-128. 

Au  gratin,  125. 

Baked,  124. 

Cold  slaw,  127. 

Cooking  recipes,  124-128. 

Creamed,  125. 

Drying  of,  71. 

Escalloped,  126. 

Fried,  126. 

Sweet-sour,  128. 
Canning    dehydrated    products,    45, 

194. 
Carbonic  acid  gas,  use  of,  197. 


201 


INDEX 


Carrots,  72,  128-131. 

Buttered,  128. 

Cooking  recipes,  128-131. 

Croquettes,  129. 

Drying  of,  72. 

Glazed,  130. 

Lyonnaise,  131. 

And  peas,  129. 

And  turnips,  130. 
Catnip,  26. 
Cauliflower,  73,  131-135. 

Au  gratin,  132. 

Baked,  132. 

Cooking  recipes,  131-135. 

Creamed,  135. 

Drying  of,  73. 

Fritters,  132. 

Souffl6,  133. 

Timbales,  134. 

With  cheese  sauce,  134. 
Celery,  74,  135. 

Cooking  recipes,  135. 

Creamed,  136. 

Drying  of,  74. 

Escalloped,  136. 

Fritters,  135. 
Cherries,  91,  180,  182. 

Cooking  recipes,  180,  182. 

Drying  of,  91. 

Fruit  cup,  182. 

Pudding  (boUed).  180. 
Clams,  drying  of,  60. 
Cleaning  and  sterilizing  dryers,  197. 
Cold-dipping,  39. 
Colorings,  pure  vegetable,  198. 
Community  plants,  29. 
Comparative  reduction  table,  25. 
Conditioning  or  ctiring,  39,  67. 
Corn,  65,  74,  136  to  141. 

Chowder,  137. 

Cooking  recipes,  136-141. 

Creamed,  with  green  peppers,  140. 

Croquettes,  137. 

Drying  of,  74. 

Fried,  141. 


Corn  —  Concluded. 

Fritters,  138. 

Omelet,  138. 

On  the  cob,  65. 

Relish,  139. 

Southern  style,  140. 

Stewed,  141. 

Succotash,  141. 
Costs,  34. 

Covering  during  conditioning,  39. 
Cranberries,  92,  190,  193. 

Cooking  recipes,  193. 

Drying  of,  92. 

Jelly,  193. 

Stewed,  190. 
Currants,  drying  of,  92. 
Cutters  and  peelers,  40. 
Cutting  for  drying,  53,  66,  197. 

Dehydrating  at  home,  45-54. 

Dehydrating  in  large  quantities,  29. 

Dehydration  explained,  2. 

Demonstrating,  22. 

Demonstrating  for  selling,  22-24. 

Demonstration  exhibits,  23. 

Desserts,  cakes,  etc.,  173-195. 

Difference  between  drying  and  de- 
hydration, 2. 

Dining  cars,  20. 

Domesticated  animals,  for,  26. 

Dryer,  a  good  home,  49. 

Dryers  to  avoid,  47,  48. 

Drying  at  home,  67. 

Drying  air  unnecessary,  32. 

Drying;  when  finished?  37,  52,  68, 
89,  196. 

Dry  weather  work  advisable,  196. 

Egg  plant,  142,  143. 

Cooking  recipes,  142,  143. 

Fried,  143. 

Saut6,  142. 

With  brown  sauce,  142. 
Essential  factors,  34. 


202 


INDEX 


Essentials  for  commercial  plants,  34, 

35. 
Extracts,  flavoring,  21,  198. 

Fans,  35, 

Fermentation  and  molding,  5. 

Filling  for  jelly  roll  cake,  183. 

Fish,  dehydrating  of,  60. 

Flavoring  herbs,  do  not  blanch,  197. 

Flours  and  meals,  to  make,  86,  87. 

Fritter  batter,  133. 

Fruit  cup,  182. 

Fruit  juices,  198. 

Fruits  cut  into  halves,  63. 

Fruits,  home  dehydrating,  88-94. 

Glutinous  materials,  197. 
Grass,  dehydrating,  3,  26,  27. 
Green  fodder,  27. 
Guessing  at  temperatures,  50,  67. 

Hay  and  dehydrated  grass,  difference 
between,  3. 

Healthful  and  nourishing  properties, 
17,  18. 

Herbs,  kitchen  and  medicinal,  26. 

Home  dehydrating  (fruits),  88-94. 

Home  dehydrating  (vegetables),  66- 
85. 

Home  dehydrators,  48,  49. 

Hotels,  restaurants,  schools,  institu- 
tions, boarding  houses,  ships, 
etc.,  20. 

How  to  determine  when  dehydration 
is  completed,  37,  53,  68,  196. 

Insect-proof  containers,  198. 

Jama,   etc.,   from  dehydrated  prod- 
ucts, 45. 
Jellies  from  dehydrated  fruits,   193, 
194. 
Cranberry,  193, 
Mint,  194. 
Juices,  fruit,  for  flavorings,  198. 


Kohl-rabi,  75. 

Cooking  recipes.   Same  as  Turnips, 

169. 
Drying  of,  75. 

Length  of  time  for  drying,  52,  68,  69, 

89,  196. 
Loganberry  soufflfi,  183. 
Lye   solution,   for   prunes,    peaches, 

etc..  65. 


Meats,  60. 

Milk,  6, 

Mint  jelly,  194. 

Moisture  in  finished  product,  5. 

Moisture,  use  of,  32,  50,  197. 

Molding  and  fermentation,  5. 

Moths  and  worms,  39. 

Mushrooms,  101,  143-145. 

Cooking  recipes,  101,  143-145. 

Creamed,  143. 

In  ramekins,  144. 

On  toast,  144, 

Soup,  101. 

Okra,  drying  of,  75. 
One-dish  dinners,  114-117. 

Almost  meatless  hash,  115. 

One-dish  meal,  115. 

Pot  roast  and  vegetables,  116. 

Savory  meat-stretching  dish,  114. 

Vegetable  stew,  117. 
One-temperature  drying,  32. 
Onions,  64,  76,  101,  145,  146. 

Cooking  recipes,  145,  146. 

Creamed,  145. 

Drying  of,  76. 

Escalloped,  145. 

Fried,  146. 

How  to  cut,  64. 

In  hash,  146, 

Soup,  101, 
Oven  dehydration  not  possible,  48. 
Oysters,  60. 


203 


INDEX 


Packages,  43. 
Packing,  43. 

Parsley    and    other   herbs,    77,    105- 
108. 

Cooking  uses.  See  Sauces,  105-108. 

Drying  of,  77. 
Parsnips,  drying  of,  77. 
Peaches,  64,  93,  184,  185. 

Cooking  recipes,  184,  185, 

Drying  of,  93. 

Ice  cream,  184. 

Shortcake,  185. 
Pea  pods,  27, 
Pears,  64,  94,  191. 

Cooking  recipe,  191, 

Drying  of,  94. 

Stewed,  191. 
Peas,  78,  102,  147-150. 

A  la  Russe,  147. 

Buttered,  147, 

And  carrots  in  potato  nests,  148. 

Cooking  recipes,  147-150. 

Drying  of,  78. 

And  onions,  148. 

Pur6e,  150. 

Souffle,  149. 

Soup,  102, 

Timbales,  149. 
Peelers  and  cutters,  40. 
Peeling  and  cutting  at  home,  66. 
Peeling  and  cutting  at  plant,  30. 
Peppers,   78,  84,  85,   103,   108,   116, 
117,  197. 

Cooking  recipes,  84,  85,  103,  108, 
116,  117. 

Drying  of,  78,  197. 
Perfumes,  198, 
Pets,  for,  26. 

Pilaf  (American  style),  166. 
Plums,  drying  of,  94. 
Potatoes,  A  la  Andrea,  153, 

Au  gratin,  154. 

Border,  154. 

Cakes,  154. 

Cooking  recipes,  150-157. 


Potatoes  —  Concluded. 

Creamed,  150. 

Drying  of,  sweet,  80. 

Drying  of,  white,  79. 

Escalloped,  151. 

Flour  cake,  186. 

Flour  meal,  86. 

Fried,  151. 

Hashed-browned,  152. 

Lyonnaise,  152. 

Mashed,  64,  152. 

Omelet,  155. 

Pimiento,  153. 

Puff,  155. 

Pyramid,  156. 

Riced,  157. 

Roses,  156. 

Savory  croquettes,  157. 

Soup,  102. 

Sweet,  80,  158,  159,  193. 

Sweet,  candied,  158. 

Sweet,  casserole  of,  158. 

Sweet,   cooking  recipes,   158,   159, 
193. 

Sweet,  drying  of,  80, 

Sweet,  glazed,  159. 

Sweet  potato  pie,  193. 

White,  79,  150-157. 
Pot  roast  and  vegetables,  116. 
Poultry,  for,  28, 

Precooked  versus  raw  materials,  4, 
Preventing      discoloration,      apples, 
pears,  apricots  and  peaches,  64, 
Products,  to  restore,  95,  197. 
Prune  pudding,  186. 
Pudding  sauces,  110,  111. 

Hard  sauce,  110. 

Nutmeg  sauce,  110. 

Ruby  sauce.  111. 
Pumpkin,  81,  87,  187,  188. 

Cooking  recipes,  187,  188, 

Drying  of,  81, 

Flour,  87, 

Pie,  187. 

Timbale,  188. 


204 


INDEX 


Putting  back  in  dryer,  if  necessary, 
196. 

Quality  requirements,  31. 

Radiate  heat  versus  direct  heat,  33, 

34. 
Raising  temperatures,  32. 
Recipes  for  losing  dehydrated  fruits, 

172-194. 
Recipes  for  using  dehydrated  vege- 
tables, 118-1^1. 
Reduction  table,  59. 
Restoring,    allow    24    hours    before, 

196. 
Restoring  and  cooking,  95,  197. 
Rhubarb,  181,  188-191. 

Cooking  recipes,  181,  188-191. 

Dainty,  188. 

Drying  of,  81. 

Mold,  189. 

Pie,  190. 

Pudding  (boiled),  181. 

Stewed,  191. 
Rules  for  good  results,  33. 

Salad  dressings,  111-113. 

Boiled  mayonnaise,  112. 

French,  111. 

Mayonnaise,  112. 

Stiff  mayonnaise,  113. 
Sales  channels,  20. 
Salvage,  27. 
Sauces,  pudding,  110,  111. 

Hard,  110. 

Nutmeg,  110. 

Ruby,  111. 
Sauces,  vegetable,  105-109. 

Brown,  105. 

Cheese,  105. 

Cook's  bouquet,  106. 

HoUandaise,  106. 

Small  bouquet,  107, 

Tartare,  107. 

Thick  white,  108. 


Sauces  —  Concluded. 

Thin  white,  109. 

Tomato,  108,  109. 

Vegetable,  109. 
Scraps,  use  of,  198. 
Ships,  for,  20. 
Soda,  for  setting  color,  64. 
Sound  materials  necessary,  30. 
Soup  mixtures,  65,  84,  85. 
Soups,  99-104. 

Beef  stock,  99. 

Chicken,  99. 

Cream  of  celery,  100. 

Cream  of  mushroom,  101. 

Onion,  101. 

Pea,  102. 

Potato,  102. 

Tomato  bisque,  103. 

Vegetable,  104. 
Spinach    and    similar    produce,    82, 
159-163. 

Cooking  recipes,  159-163. 

Creamed,  160. 

Drying  of,  82. 

En  croustade,  160. 

Loaf,  161. 

Pur6e  of,  160. 

Souffl6,  162. 

Timbale,  162. 

With  sour  dressing,  163. 
Squash,  83,  163,  164. 

Au  gratin,  163. 

Cooking  recipes,  163,  164. 

Drying  of,  83. 

Mashed,  164. 

Pie,  164. 
Stalks,   separating  from  leaves,   64, 

197. 
Steam  blanching,  37. 
Sterilizing  products,  43. 
Storing,  68. 

Storing  at  home,  52,  54. 
Strawberry  filling,  191. 

Whip,  192. 
Sulphiu-,  use  of,  41. 


205 


INDEX 


Surface  drying  prevented,  32. 
Syrups,  21. 

Temperature      tables,      Fahrenheit, 

Centigrade,  Reaumur,  61hB3. 
Tests  for  quality,  31,  198. 
Thermometer,  use  of,  49,  50,  67. 
Times,  can  be  approximately  given 

only,  38,  53,  196. 
Times  given  by  Proctor  Company, 

56-59. 
Time-table     used      at     commercial 

plant,  55. 
Tomatoes,    64,    83,    103,    108,    109, 
164-168. 
A  la  Creole,  164. 
Baked,  165. 
Bisque,  103. 
Cooking    recipes,    85,     103,     108, 

164-168. 
Drying  of,  83. 
Fried  green,  165. 
Pilaf,  166. 
Purfie  on  toast,  166. 
Salad,  167. 
Sauces,  108,  109. 
Stewed,  168. 
Stewed  with  corn,  168. 
To  keep  from  metal  contact,  64. 
Trade  names,  25. 


Turnips,  169-171. 
,  Cooking  recipes,  169-171. 

Creamed,  169. 

Drying  of.    See  Parsnips,  77. 

Escalloped  with  potatoes,  169. 

Glazed,  170. 

Mashed,  170. 

Roasted  with  mutton,  171. 
Types  of  commercial  dryers,  29. 

Under-drying,  196. 

Uses  for  dehydrated  products,  19. 

Vacuima  process,  35,  36. 

Various  opinions  regarding  dehydra- 
tion, 7-18. 

Vegetable  colorings,  pure,  198. 

Vegetable  flours  and  meals,  to  make, 
86,  87. 

Vegetable  sauces.  See  Sauces,  105- 
110. 

Vegetable  stew,  117. 

Warning  against  imperfect  drying,  5. 

Water,  to  use  in  dryers,  32,  50,  197. 

Water  vapor  in  air  at  varioiia  temper- 
atures, 61. 

What  not  to  do,  31. 

When  is  the  product  dry?  37,  53,  68, 
196. 


206 


Date  Due 

.jl^HliV-. 

JAN  i  0 

NOV  26  \i 

90 

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BOSTON  COLLEGE 


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